Secret She Holds
by PhoenixRae
Summary: **COMPLETE** Mystyk caught Harry's eyes, but there's something about her that puzzles everyone...what is her secret? Who is she really? Read on & find out...R&R PLS!!!
1. Prologue Train Station

**~*~ DISCLAIMER:** i for one do not own any of these characters, except for the ones you may read whose names doesn't ring any bell to you peeps. and this is my first Harry Potter fic so please bear with me. i would greatly appreciate it if you guys R&R, i live for comments & opinions from you readers out there **~*~**

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**PROLOGUE: _Train Station_**

"Don't be a fool, girl. A boy like him would never pay the slightest bit of attention to you." Mocks Gertude Wiles, a fifty-something woman with rotting teeth and messy, greasy long hair that used to be black, but now it has spots of gray appearing everywhere. "Move along now. Hurry. We don't want to be late." she pushed the young girl of fifteen before her, hurrying the little girl up on to the train all the while shielding the pretty raven haired girl's eyes from the direction of the comely looking young boy with round specs and messy dark hair.

"But Gertude--"

"No buts, young lady. Now off you go. Get on that train and _stay_ there!" Gertude ordered sternly, her icy blue eyes piercing right through the young teen's skull.

Meekly the young teen conceded. Turning her gaze away from the boy heading towards platform 9--or it is platform 10?--she boarded the train like an obedient girl that she always have been and heaved a heavy sigh. She listened to Gertude tick off lists of what she should and shouldn't do while on the train taking her to her relatives city, but she couldn't keep her mind from wandering off to that charming young lad pushing a cart loaded with packages and a birdcage towards platform 9 or 10. She didn't get the chance to see where he went afterwards for Gertude made sure her attention was solely focused on her and her alone.

The train made a jerking movement, signaling they were leaving the station. Gertude gave her one last minute instructions and she was off. Off to live with her mother's family in the south of the country while the post she received from an anonymous sender burned in her coat's inner pocket. It was in a white envelope bearing an undistinguished emblem of some school located somewhere in the country that she have never heard of. It was the umpteenth time in five years that she received the same letter bearing the same emblem, but like all the other letters she received in the past, this one left unanswered.

Every year Gertude seem to find a means of delaying her response to this particular post. During the first year she received it, Gertude sent her packing to study in a boarding school in Wales, telling her it was all paid for by her late parents. The second year she received the letter Gertude sent her packing to live and study in Scotland with a relative of Gertude's. During the third and fourth year she was shipped off to family in Northern Ireland and France respectively. And now this year Gertude managed to send her packing once again to live with her mother's relatives.

She found her seat by the window and gazed out at the passing scenery. The train has left the station and she was on her way to live with new people once again. By the end of the school year she was going to be sent back to live with Gertude for the summer, and all the friends she will be making in this new place she is to go to she wouldn't hear from again, no matter how many times they promised to write her a letter. She is already used to not receiving that many posts or hearing any news from her new friends in each of the three different places she have been to the last three years. In fact, she is already looking forward to experiencing the exact same thing this year: meet new friends, enjoy the company of her relatives, receive promises of writing to her, then come back to live with Gertude for the summer and not hear a single word from any of the people she met over the past year.

~*~

"Harry, are you alright?" asked Ron Weasley as he sat across his best friend inside the train carriage they share with their other best friend, Hermoine Granger.

Harry Potter removed his gaze from the window and looked at his friend. He shook off visions of the raven haired girl he spotted boarding the train at the station earlier and forced a smile on his boyish face.

"I'm alright, Ron. Why'd you ask?"

"Because you've been staring out the window since we go here, that's why." it was Hermoine who answered him, "What is wrong, Harry? For once you don't look excited about going back to Hogwarts."

"I am excited." Harry insisted, meeting Hermonie's eyes and locking gazes with her.

"But?" she raised one questioning eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.

"But what?"

"C'mon Harry, I know you. Something's bothering you or else you wouldn't look so glum." she insisted.

Harry scrunched his forehead into a frown and shook his head, "Nothing's bothering me."

Hermoine and Ron exchanged looks, each agreeing without speaking loudly that their friend is hiding something from them. Now what could it be?


	2. One Surprise Visitor

**CHAPTER ONE: _Surprise Visitor_**

Three weeks in to the new school year Mystyk Rydle returned to her aunt and uncle's home only to find them cowering outside the house, an unreadable expression on their faces as she neared the homely three bedroom cottage she have come to call home since her arrival to the Linkin's doorstep at the end of August.

"Aunt Maggie, Uncle Jess, what's wrong?" Mystyk asked worried when she was close enough to talk to her terrified relatives.

Aunt Maggie was the only one who seem to have found her voice and told Mystyk about her visitor waiting for her inside the cottage.

"A visitor?" Mystyk asked in disbelief, "You couldn't mean Gertude, could you?"

"No, dear. It's--it's not Gertude." Uncle Jess shook his mop of graying dark brown head and added, "It's a man. He said he came from the school that has been trying to get a hold of you for five years now."

Mystyk frowned. A man from the school who has been trying to get a hold of her for five years? Could he be someone sent by the people who sent her all those posts with a unique emblem on the flap?

"Did he say who he is?"

"Rubeus Hagrid, at your service young Mystyk Rydel." came a booming voice of the giant man who suddenly filled her aunt and uncle's front door. He has long, dark, curly hair and a long, dark beard and moustache as well that covered his face. But from where Mystyk stood she could tell that this giant of a man standing outside her aunt and uncle's humble home is a kind and giving man.

He's like a giant teddybear!

"Uh...how--how do you do, Mr. Hagrid?" Mystyk greeted, unsure on how she should approach him even though she already figured he's harmless.

A hearty laugh erupted from the man who came to visit her, making his entire body shake with his laughter.

Mystyk looked confused and turned to her aunt and uncle for help, but Aunt Maggie and Uncle Jess looked as stupefied as she does concerning the giant's--who introduced himself as Rubeus Hagrid--reaction. Once the giant man's laughter subsides, Mystyk dared to walk up closer to him and inquired, "Is everything alright, Mr. Hagrid?"

"Please Mystyk, call me Hagrid." Rubeus Hagrid asked her nicely.

"Al-alright then, H-Hagrid." Mystyk stammered, obviously not used to addressing people older than her--with the exception of Gertude of course--without being cordial with them. "Uhm...to what do I owe this visit, Hagrid?"

"I've come to escort ya to school, of course!" he replied rather cheerily.

"Escort me to school?" she echoed, looking wild-eyed at the man before her then looked over her shoulder at her aunt and uncle who remained immobile. She looked back at Hagrid and replied, "But I _am_ in school already, Hagrid. I have been attending school for the past three weeks now."

"Ah, ya see Mystyk, this school yer attending isn't really the school for a young wi--_woman_ like ye'self." Hagrid corrected himself before he let something slip. Something Mystyk's aunt and uncle shouldn't hear about.

"But--"

"D'ya still have tha letter sent to ya this summer, Mystyk?" Hagrid asked before she could utter another word out.

"Yes. I still have it. But I didn't open it and I didn't reply to it."

"Ah. You see that's the reason why I'm here today." when Mystyk frowned up at him Hagrid continued, "You've been sent numerous letters over the past five years and no reply has been heard from your end."

"There isn't any reply because the first time I received the letter my guardian, Gertude, saw me opening it and stopped me from doing so. She told me the next time I receive any post bearing the emblem seen on that particular envelope, I mustn't open it." she explained.

"What a pile of rubbish!" Hagrid exploded, "She didn' have tha right to tell ya what to do!"

Mystyk took a surprised step backwards, afraid that in Hagrid's irritation he might swing at her or something. It's better to be safe than to be sorry.

"She's my _guardian,_ Hagrid." she explained, "Of course Gertude's only after my welfare. Even though sometimes she treats me like some a nobody." she added almost to herself, lowering her gaze and concentrating on the ends of her black boots.

"Well Mystyk, since Gertude is not here ta dictate ya, here." he pulled out a similar envelope like the ones she received every year and handed it to her, "Read it."

Mystyk accepted the envelope handed to her and carefully opened it. She read what was written down and her violet-green eyes were as wide as flying saucers by the time she was done reading what was said in the letter. Lifting her still shocked gaze up, she met Hagrid's smiling dark brown eyes.

"You mean to tell me that I'm...that I'm a," she paused and looked over her shoulder, smiling at her concerned relatives then turned back to Hagrid and continued in a hushed tone, "Are you telling me that I'm a witch, Hagrid?"

"Aye, aye, lassie." Hagrid winked.

Mystyk gulped audibly. This can't be for real! She's not a witch. Hell, she didn't even come from a family of witches or wizards. At least, none that she know of anyway. And Gertude never told her anything about being a witch.

"Kinda hard to take in, eh?" Hagrid leaned closer and whispered to her, "I'm sure ye got lotsa question, but I ain't tha person ta ask. Now come along, I'll take ye to tha man who can answer yer questions."

"But what about my aunt and uncle?"

"Don't worry, Mystyk. I'm sure they will understand." he assured her.

"But...I'll need some of my things, don't I?"

"Sure, sure. You'll need some spare clothing to change to. But as for books 'en everything else, didn't ya check the list included in tha letter?"

Mystyk frowned and scanned the letter once again, reading the list of items that was required at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her head quickly shot up and looked alarmingly at Hagrid, "How am I going to get all of these things here?

"No worries. I'll take ye to Diagon Alley--it's the place to shop for everything you need."

With a lump wedged tightly in her throat, Mystyk agreed to come back to Hogwarts with Rubeus Hagrid, making a quick detour first at Diagon Alley--a place hidden from the rest of the people of London behind the Leaky Couldron, a hospice for witches and wizards and serves as the entrance to Diagon Alley from the muggle world (Hagrid quickly updated her with the terms often used by witches and wizards at Hogwarts; he said she is very much behind in her lingo and studies of magic that she needs to be updated as quickly as possible).

"Hagrid, _how_ am I suppose to pay for _any_ of this things I need to get for Hogwarts? I only have twenty pounds with me." Mystyk asked worriedly as she and Hagrid walked down Diagon Alley.

"No worries, Mystyk. We can always go to Gringotts to have your muggle money exchanged. _And_ you have your own bank account there as well." Hagrid informed her, leading her down the path towards a large building.

"Gringotts?" she echoed, following Hagrid's giant footsteps. "And _how_ did I end up having a bank account there already when I haven't even been here?"

"Ah...well, yer mum and your dad made sure yer well taken care off, Mystyk. Now, d'ya have your vault key with ya?" Hagrid eyed her carefully.

"What vault key?" she frowned.

Hagrid frowned and noted the gold chain hanging around her neck. Fingering the chain he pulled it away from her and the small key pendant from its hiding and grinned, "_This_ is your vault key, Mystyk." he informed her.

Mysytk blanched at the revelation, "That old key _is_ my Gringotts's vault key?"

"Yes. And I see that ye took great good care of it, keeping it with you at all times." he winked and walked into the bank.

"But I didn't. _Gertude's_ the one who gave me that pendant. Well, at least back then I thought it was just a pendant." she shrugged and followed him inside.

They finished their business at Gringotts and at Diagon Alley in no time at all. The only thing Mystyk seemed to be missing is either a pet owl, cat, or toad.

"Now _which_ should I get?" she mused out loud

"Well which one d'ya think you would want more for a pet?" Hagrid asked.

Mystyk took a moment and read the three choices given to her carefully. "I'm allergic to cat hair so cat's out. And toads...they're slimey little buggers and I don't think I'll be happy having one for a pet. So that leaves me with owl." she smiled up at him and asked, "Where can I buy a decent, reliable, loving, friendly and very much obedient owl, Hagrid?"

"For that, follow me."

"Okay." Mystyk stuffed the letter away in her pocket and followed Hagrid down the alley once again. By the time they reached the train station it was close to nightfall and she was feeling very much tired.

"Here you go, Mystyk. Here's your ticket." Hagrid handed down a small piece of paper to hear saying Hogwarts Express platform...

"9 3/4?!" she looked horrified and sent an alarmed look on Hagrid, "Where in the world am I ever going to find this?!"

Hagrid enjoyed the shocked look cross the young raven haired girl's face and took his time explaining to her howabouts she would get to platform 9 3/4. At first she thought Hagrid was joking, but he looked very much serious about it and after listening to him explain how she would get there, she sucked in a deep breath and pushed her cart through the wall between platforms 9 and 10. She was terrified of ending up splattered against the brick wall, but the next thing she knew she was through the wall and standing before a large, red train.

"You made it." Hagrid chuckled and ushered her to move along.

Mystyk was thankful she did. Gosh, this witch-thing takes _a lot_ of getting used to, that's for sure!


	3. Two Meeting with Dumbledore

**CHAPTER TWO: _Meeting with Dumbledore_**

Mystyk and Hagrid arrived at Hogwarts shortly before the evening meal. Hagrid is happy that they made it before everybody has gathered around the Great Hall for supper. That will give Mystyk ample time to get settled in her "house" and meet with Hogwarts's headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

"Professor Dumbledore will be the one who'll tell ya everything ya need ta know, Mystyk. He's a nice man, an' he too will tell ya which house ye'll be staying at." Hagrid explained as they made their way to the boats waiting to take them across the river to Hogwarts castle.

"I'm scared, Hagrid." Mystyk confided in him.

"Don't be scared, lass. Professor Dumbledore is a good man. Now, just enjoy tha boat ride and we'll be at the castle soon." he assured her.

The river trip to the castle didn't take that long. Mystyk enjoyed it very much, seeing the castle all lit-up from the river. Hagrid told her that since this is her first time--and first year at Hogwarts technically--she should be treated like a first year student. The boat trip is a tradition for first year students at Hogwarts, at least that's what Hagrid told her during their long train ride at the Hogwarts Express.

"Now Mystyk, I will take you to Professor Dumbledore's office now. He's been waiting for us to arrive." Hagrid told her as soon as the hit the docks and she was escorted out of the boat by her companion.

Mystyk followed Hagrid up into the castle, noting that every painting moved and greeted her. She inched closer to Hagrid the first time she saw one of the paintings moved and he chuckled at her, patting her shoulder and reassuring her that it's alright.

"They're not going to harm ya, Mystyk. If yer lost around tha castle, just ask one of 'em and they'll be able to help ya." he informed her.

"Wow, that's a relief. I think from the size of this castle, I'll be needing a whole lot of people telling me which direction to take and whatnot." Mystyk mumbled under her breath as she followed Hagrid up the stairs.

Finally they reached their destination. Mystyk was led in to the private office of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Hagrid bid her farewell at the doors and a chirpy "See you in the Great Hall, Mystyk." before leaving her alone with Professor Dumbledore.

"Ah, Mystyk Rydel." Albus Dumbledore rose from behind his desk and rounded it to shake hands with the newest student at Horwarts. "It's so nice to finally meet you." he enthused. "I'm sure you have lots of questions you wanted answered, but first things first, Ms. Rydel. I want you to explain to you that since you arrived five years later into Hogwarts, there will be _a lot_ of catching up to do for you. Arriving three weeks into the new school year didn't help much either."

"I'm--I'm sorry about that, Professor." Mystyk apologized, "I--I didn't know about this school or my background until...well, until Hagrid showed at my aunt and uncle's house." she explained.

"Yes, yes." Professor Dumbledore led her to the chair across from his desk and he went back to sit behind it, watching her from over the rim of his half-moon specs. "But you're here now and you're as confused as when Hagrid showed up at your aunt and uncle's place, am I right?"

Mystyk nodded.

Professor Dumbledore placed his elbows on his desk and lacked his fingers together, watching the young girl carefully, "You are a very special child, Mystyk Rydel, hence the first name given to you. You hold a very special role in the witchcraft and wizardry world. Gertude Wiles made very sure that you were kept well away from Hogwarts at all cost--and for a very good reason of course." he began, his lips slowly forming a reassuring smile.

Mystyk was at a loss for words. In no time at all did Professor Dumbledore filled Mystyk in, telling her what he meant by his opening speech, answering her most pressing of questions, but avoiding the most relevant of all (she wants to know what _special role_ does she play in the world of witchcraft and wizardry) and finally she was given the chance to try out the Sorting Hat and be sorted to her house.

What transpired in Professor Dumbledore's office from the moment Mystyk Rydel entered it until she left with with the gallant Headmaster remained a secret, but the news of a new girl--a late arrival at Hogwarts--soon traveled and everyone could hardly wait to catch a glimpse of the much talked about newcomer.


	4. Three The New Girl

**CHAPTER THREE: _The New Girl_**

"Harry, Ron. Have you guys heard the news?" Hermoine asked almost breathlessly when she caught up with her two best friends.

"Heard what, Hermoine?" Harry frowned.

"And why do you look like you just ran in a marathon?" Ron added, frowning at the current state of haggardness showing on Hermoine's face.

"It's just my class load--there's too much for me to do." she answered Ron's inquiry first then looked at Harry, "You mean you haven't heard the news yet? There's a new fifth-year student that just arrived _today._"

"What?" Ron and Harry echoed in unison, "Is that even possible?" Harry frowned.

"We're well into the first month of the school year. And did you say she's a _fifth year_ student?" Ron questioned, "How's that possible that they accept a fifth year _new_ student?"

"I don't know." Hermoine shook her mop of unruly, long, curly brown head. "All I know is that Hagrid made a special trip to bring this student to Hogwarts today and spent like hours locked up in Dumbledore's office. She's going to make her entrance tonight during dinner."

"How did you know about this?" Ron asked curiously.

Hermoine gave him an are-you-kidding-me look, shutting Ron up and they continued on their way to the Great Hall where almost everyone was seated. This is Hogwarts--every secret gets leaked out to the public until the whole school knows about it. The three of them quickly made their way to their table and each took a seat.

"Has any of you seen this new girl?" George Weasley asked Ron as soon as his younger brother sat beside him.

"No. Harry and I didn't even know about it until Hermoine told us." Ron replied in a low voice, looking over the Slytherin table, watching out for any new and unfamiliar face to pop-out from the crowd, but it's still the same old, same old faces. He then turned his gaze over to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff table; it was the same thing. No new faces popped out amongst the ton of almost all too familiar faces he has seen over the years since he attended Hogwarts. Except of course for the first year students, but they have been around each other's company for almost a month now, he already knows their faces and he could tell that whomever this mystery girl is, she has yet to make her grand debut tonight.

"I heard she's a beauty!" Fred Weasley, George's twin, enthused, giggling on Ron's other side.

"From what I saw of her when Hagrid came in with her earlier, she has shiny jet-black hair." Lee Jordan, the twin's close friend, added as he joined in on the huddle between the Weasley brothers, Harry and Hermoine.

"She's a fifth year too. But how could she be mixed with the fifth years if _this_ is her first year at Hogwarts?" Hermoine frowned, looking from Harry all the way down to Fred who was seated on Ron's left across from her.

"She must be _really_ special if Dumbledore lets her join the fifth year students." Lee wondered, his forehead creasing into a thoughtful frown.

Their little forum was abruptly pulled apart when Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat at the front of the room, asking everyone to settle down and listen.

"Good evening, students. Before we begin tonight's feast I would like to make an announcement." he paused briefly, eyeing each table closely before continuing, "Tonight we welcome a newcomer to our school, albeit arriving late, still, she is a remarkable young student and a new house member at Slytherin House." again he paused an watched each student carefully before straightening up and pointing his hand to the right backdoor entrance, "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like you all to welcome Ms. Mystyk Rydel."

All eyes turned to the direction Professor Dumbledore just pointed at. Mystyk took a deep breath to calm her nerves and walked out with a bright smile plastered on her small, pretty heart-shaped face. An audible gasp swept up the entire room--and they were all from the _male_ student occupants of the Great Hall.

Fred was right. The new girl _is_ indeed very beautiful. She looked almost like a sinful siren with inky black hair cut into an inverted bob that fell just below her chin. Her eyes were a bright shade of violet, and she held herself in the most regal of manner. Shoulders straight, chin held high, and she looked as though she was gliding on ice instead of walking on stone floor.

Harry remained frozen in his seat as his eyes zeroed in on the newcomer with neatly brushed jet-black hair that--and he has to agree with Lee--is very shiny.

_It's her! The girl from the train station._ his mind screamed as he followed the girl, Mystyk Rydel, make her way to the Slytherin table.

Hermoine, who was seated beside Harry, noticed that her friend's jaw nearly fell on the table as he stared at the newcomer. She jabbed him on the ribs and hissed, "Close your mouth before a fly or something else crashes into it."

Harry felt his cheeks burn from embarrassment and did as her friend asked him to do.

As soon as Ms. Mystyk Rydel was seated, Professor Dumbledore finished his speech before announcing that they all enjoy their dinner.

~*~

Mystyk felt uneasy throughout the rest of her meal. Slytherin House kids are...well, they are all not the kind of people she is used to hanging around with. Most of them are loud, boisterous, and egotistical while the women are deadly gossips, always talking about a certain guy or girl from either Griffyndor, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw. Since she have no clue about half of what the rest of her housemates are talking about, Mystyk ate in complete silence, smiling nicely at whomever's eyes collides with her. She kept on glancing at the teachers's table as well, smiling fondly at Professor Dumbledore whenever their eyes met, and smiling at Hagrid as well whenever their eyes met.

_Oh boy, what the heck kind of trouble did you just get yourself in to, Mystyk?_ she asked herself as she quietly finished her dinner. _And those stuff Dumbledore said...gosh, are they all for real? Me getting private lessons from the school headmaster until I'm all caught-up? How pampered could I be?!_

"So, you're the new girl everyone's been talking about." Draco Malfoy sneered from beside her.

Mystyk stopped taking a bite off the chicken leg she is holding and looked at the platinum blond haired boy seated to her right. "Everyone's talking about me? Gee, I didn't know I'm popular."

"You're not. After today, you'll just be a thing of the past." snarled Pansy Parkinson who sits across from Mystyk and Draco.

Mystyk looked away from the boy with slicked-back blond hair and turned her attention to the dark haired girl seated across from her. From the sound of the other girl's voice Mystyk could tell she was jealous. But why would this girl be jealous of her? It's not like Blondie over here has the jones for her!

Mystyk knew it would be pointless to stoop down to this girl's level, but something childish inside her couldn't resist from goading the other girl.

"And that would be bad because...?"

Pansy couldn't think of a smart rebuttal at Mystyk's cool dismissal of her attempt to raise her heckle. She sent Mystyk a warning glare coupled with a warning only Mystyk could hear (according to Professor Dumbledore she had been blessed with the psychic gift, she can hear and read people's minds and tell fortune, heck, she could even solve mysteries if she only concentrated enough, whether by accident or by force): _Stay away from Draco, bitch. He's mine._

"Hey, I'm not here to take your man away." Mystyk blurted out, surprising the now red-faced girl seated across from her.

"How--how--you don't know what you're saying!" Pansy nearly shrieked at Mystyk before angrily stomping away from the table, causing others to look their way to see what the sudden commotion was about.

Mystyk wished she didn't goad the other girl. Now all eyes are on _her_--and she has yet to finish her dinner!

_She's really pretty. She's even prettier on a rather close range than when I first saw her._

Mystyk's head quickly snapped up when she heard the runaway thought of one of the numerous male students dining inside the Great Hall. She crank her neck here and there, from one end of the long Slytherin table to the other, then she did the same with the other three long tables before her.

_Gosh, she's looking around! Better not let her catch me looking at her._

Mystyk thought she heard the thought coming loudly from the table across from Slytherin--is it Gryffindor table across from theirs?--and made a thorough investigation of each male occupant, but of course now that the owner of the runaway thought she just heard has now looked away, and her chances of finding out who he might be was gone.

She let her eyes move up and down the long Gryffindor table, but her search was futile. She won't find the owner of that runaway thought now.


	5. Four A Surprise Discovery

**CHAPTER FOUR: _A Surprise Discovery_**

"Is this corner quiet enough for you?" Harry asked when he finally mustered the courage to approach the table where the Slytherin new comer sat, alone of course, with a pile of books surrounding her.

Mystyk lifted her jet-black head from the book she was reading, a look of surprise crossing her rare shade of violet eyes.

"I'm--I'm sorry. I--I didn't mean to bother you." Harry apologized awkwardly, stepping away from the new girl's table.

"Oh, it's no bother. You just...caught me unaware, that's all." She smiled encouragingly at Harry and motioned for the seat across from her, "Please, do join me. It's been awfully quiet on this side of the library for me." she started moving some of her books aside to make room for some of Harry's stuff.

"Are--are you sure I'm not interrupting you?" Harry was still unsure if he was indeed welcome at this table. After all she's a member of the Slytherin House, in the years since he first started at Hogwarts he knew students residing in Slytherin aren't all that trustworthy.

"Don't worry. I'm not like my other housemates. You can trust me, but I know you can't just take my word for it. I must _earn_ your trust, mustn't I?" she quickly reassured him, surprising Harry at how well she knew what he was thinking about. "You looked surprised." she noted of Harry's dumbstruck expression.

"Uh...actually I _am_ surprised." there's no point denying the obvious. His face told him away and it would be bad to pretend that he wasn't surprised at what she just said. "How--"

"I'm psychic." she replied before he could finish his question, "At least that's what Professor Dumbledore told me." she shrugged and sat back, smiling rather shyly at him. "I'm Mystyk, by the way." she reached over the table and over the books lying before her.

Harry clasped her outstretched hand and gave it a firm shake, noticing how smooth her hand felt, and how small it is in his hand.

"I know who you are already, Mystyk Rydel." Harry grinned.

Mystyk blushed and took her hand back. "Oh yeah, Professor Dumbledore made that announcement to everyone."

"Yeah. Must be very embarrassing for you to walk out in front of everybody."

"Oh, you have no idea."

Harry chuckled, "I'm Harry, by the way."

"Hello, Harry." she smiled sweetly, her head slightly tilted to the side as she gazed at him.

"Hullo, Mystyk." Harry lowered his gaze to the book he placed before him. He couldn't concentrate much when she's looking at him like that.

"Well, well, if it isn't Harry Pothead making friends with the new girl." came Draco's sneering remark from behind Harry.

Both Mystyk and Harry's snapped up and turned to look at Draco flanked by his usual trusty--if not empty-headed--bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle.

"_Draco!_" Mystyk scolded, "That's not a good thing to say. Besides, what has Harry done to you for you to be this mean to him?" she questioned, crossing her arms over the page of the book she was reading.

Draco looked flustered at the condescending tone Mystyk just used on him. For a couple of months now since Mystyk started at Hogwarts Draco tried to win her affection, get her to like him and talk to him with the same expression he glimpsed on her pretty face when she and Potter were sitting alone in this little corner of the library. But every time he opens his mouth he gets the feeling that Mystyk is only _pretending_ to be nice to him. He's not used to having that kind of feeling, especially when the cause of him feeling that way comes from a _girl_ nonetheless.

Mystyk heard each and every word Draco's thought uttered, and she couldn't help herself from feeling guilty for the way she has been treating him since her first night at Hogwarts, when Pansy Parkinson made sure that Mystyk is well aware of the other girl's claim on Draco Malfoy.

"What do you care, Rydel? You're a fifth year student stuck with the first years, and yet I don't see you coming or going from one class to another." Draco barked at her.

"That's because I don't have classes with the first years, Draco." Mystyk replied calmly, her smile never faltering. She knew what is going on inside Draco's head. He's trying to be mean to her to hide what he's really feeling, but too bad for him she can read minds. She knows _exactly_ what is going through his head right now.

"You don't?" Draco couldn't help himself from looking flabbergasted. "H-how--"

"I am being tutored and I think I'm ready to tackle fifth-year lessons after the Christmas holiday." she told him proudly. "Now, is there anything else you need from Harry or myself? If there isn't any more would you three mind leaving Harry and I alone please? We've got a whole lot of studying to do."

Draco knew when he had been dismissed. Bowing his head stiffly at Mystyk's direction, he silently backed away from the table Harry and Mystyk were occupying, but before he turned his back to them he sent Harry a chilling glare, warning him of a payback worse than most of the things he has done to him in the past.

"Uh-oh." Mystyk sighed once Draco and company were out of earshot.

Harry frowned and turned to her, "Uh-oh what? Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, Harry. It's just that...I read Draco's thoughts and...well, let's just say that what I read didn't sound at all too good." she bit on her lower lip as she turned to look at Harry, "I'm sorry Harry. I shouldn't have goaded Draco like that. Now he's really mad at you."

"Mad at me?" Harry's eyes grew wider behind his round specs, "What did I do to him?"

_By standing against his way._ Mystyk didn't want to tell him that. He wouldn't understand. It will only confuse him more.

"Standing against his way to what?" Harry asked, a frown creasing his forehead, the lightning scar on his forehead visible through his messy dark hair concealing it from everyone being scrunched as well.

Mystyk looked horrified when Harry voiced out his question.

"W--what did you just say?"

"You said I'm standing against Draco's way." Harry said casually.

"_I_ didn't say anything, Harry." she denied. Of course she said it, but she said it in her _head_ not out loud!

"But I heard you say it." he insisted.

"Harry, listen to me. I didn't say anything out loud."

"But--"

"I was thinking about what you said you heard me say."

"What?" Harry blanched. "Are--are you sure?"

"Yes." she nodded.

"Then why did I hear it?"

Mystyk shrugged. She doesn't know either.

"I couldn't be a psychic too, could I now?" he asked after a while.

"Has this happened to you before?"

"You mean hear what others are thinking?"

"Yes."

"No. But there was that incident back in my second year at Hogwarts when I could hear voices and nobody else can. Turns out I am a Parseltongue." he shrugged.

"A parsel-what?"

"A Parseltongue. I can understand the language snakes uses. And there was that incident three years ago where a large snake got was on the loose here in school. It uses the pipes hidden behind walls to get around that's why I could hear it." he explained.

"Whoa!"

"It was scary, but cool too when I come to think about it now." he chuckled.

"But Harry, I am _not_ a snake and I obviously am not a Parseltongue." she pointed out.

"I know. And you didn't say anything out loud?"

"No." she shook her head firmly.

"Then that could only mean..." his voice falter and slowly his gaze sought and met Mystyk's, the answer to what just happened quite obvious.


	6. Five Shocking News

**CHAPTER FIVE: _Shocking News_**

Ron and Hermoine sat across from Harry inside the Gryffindor Common Room with their mouths hanging open. Harry just told them the most bizarre thing that happened earlier at the library.

"Harry, are you sure about this?" Hermoine asked after she has overcome her initial shock at the news.

"I couldn't believe it myself either, Hermoine." Harry reassured his best friend.

"Are you serious?" Ron still looked very much shocked after hearing the news, "_You_ read Mystyk's mind?"

"Seems like it." Harry nodded.

"But how?" Hermoine questioned, "Harry, _how_ could that have happened? You guys haven't gone that far ahead yet in Divinations, have you?"

"I think so. I mean, we have touched it at one point or the other, but I just couldn't seem to get it together. Seems like I don't have the Inner Eye for paranormal stuff." Harry frowned, slumping against one of the big, dark leather couches by the fireplace.

"So you are not that familiar with the basics of mind-reading?" she frowned.

"Nope."

She took a deep breath and slumped deeper into the big couch she was occupying. This is one puzzle even _she_ couldn't figure out.

~*~

"Professor, mind if I ask you something that is not related to any of these subjects we're discussing right now?" Mystyk asked Professor Dumbledore the next day for her History of Magic Grade 3 class.

"Certainly, Ms. Rydel. What seems to be bothering you?" Dumbledore put down the eagle-feather quill and turned his full attention to his young student.

Mystyk took a deep breath to calm her nerves. All day yesterday and all night she couldn't stop thinking about that weird incident in the library between her and a fifth-year Gryffindor student, Harry.

"Well you see professor, yesterday afternoon while I was busy studying alone in the library, a boy named Harry approached me and sat down at my table." she began, chewing on her bottom lip as she nervously twirled the feathered end of her quill over and over her finger.

"Go on." Professor Dumbledore prodded.

Mystyk took another deep breath and continued, "Well, he is a nice boy and we were just sitting across from each other discussing something when suddenly _he_ read my thoughts. He looked as shocked as I was when he mentioned something about what I just _thought_ about."

"I see." Professor Dumbledore nodded.

"I know it shouldn't really bother me much, but according to Harry this has never happened to him before. I mean, he said he hasn't read or even heard someone else's thoughts before." Mystyk met the elder Headmaster's gaze and sighed, "I thought you said I'm the only student here at Hogwarts that has psychic abilities. If so, Professor, _how_ did Harry read my mind?"

"Good question, Ms. Rydel. A very good question indeed."


	7. Six Impromptu Meeting

**CHAPTER SIX: _Impromptu Meeting_**

After his session with Mystyk Rydel, Albus Dumbledore quickly called in an important meeting and sat down his teachers that arrived in his circular office at short notice. He waited until everyone has settled in their seat before he began.

"I'm sure all of you are wondering why I called up a meeting on short notice, but what I have to tell you all is a matter of grave importance and mustn't be ignored." he eyed each teacher looking and listening to him intently, all seated in a semi-circular patter before him.

"What is wrong, professor?" Professor Minerva McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, asked worriedly.

Professor Dumbledore turned his gaze to the woman who spoke, shaking his head he heaved a heavy sigh and continued, "As you all are aware of, Mystyk Rydel's presense at Hogwarts could pose a serious threat on one of our students. This afternoon, Ms. Rydel mentioned peculiar that happened between her and young Harry Potter while they were at the library." he paused and looked at the teachers assembled before him once more, watching their facial expressions before adding, "Mr. Potter _read_ Ms. Rydel's thoughts, a feat which cannot be accomplished by a young wizard such as Mr. Potter without having _proper_ training."

An audile gasp echoed around the room followed by hushed murmurings as each teacher conversed with one another. Professor Dumbledore hushed them down once more by raising his hand, catching each teacher's attention.

"We all are prepared for some oddities that might occur once Ms. Rydel and Mr. Potter meet, and we all have taken extra precaution to delay their meeting as much as possible, but as it seems they both managed to meet and discover one of the many odd things that might occur once they get together." he explained.

"Surely it's just a fluke that it happened." Professor McGonagall is still in denial. She, along with the other teachers at Hogwarts, is warned before Mystyk Rydel arrived of some of the unusual occurrences that might transpire between Harry Potter and Mystyk Rydel.

"Please, Professor." hissed Professor Severus Snape, head of Slytherin House, at the woman seated beside him, "Don't be naive."

"I am not being naive, Professor." Professor McGonagall snapped at the man beside her, "I just can't believe it, that's all."

"Whatever." Professor Snape rolled his eyes skyward and looked back at Professor Dumbledore, "Professor, _how_ is it possible for Potter to read Rydel's mind?"

"That's the exact question Ms. Rydel asked me earlier, and a million answers floated in my head at the time." Professor Dumbledore replied.

"And were they all conclusive thoughts, professor?" Hagrid asked, the school's gamekeeper and teacher of Care for Magical Creatures.

"Only _one_ thought kept on popping out of the lot I thought about, Hagrid." Professor Dumbledore nodded.

"And that is?" Professor McGonagall prodded.

Professor Dumbledore took a deep breath. He leaned back in his seat, resting his elbows on the armrest of his chair and lacing his fingers together. He studied each well-qualified witch and wizard teachers before him and expelled a disgruntled sigh.

"Unbeknownst to Mr. Potter and Ms. Rydel, some dark powers are working its hand to get them together." he announced, "And you and I know that is _not_ a good thing once Mr. Potter and Ms. Rydel spend too much time together. Gertude Wiles made damn sure that Mystyk Rydel never set foot at Hogwarts for fear of what we all fear might happen, especially now that Mr. Potter is a student of ours."

A hushed murmur followed Professor Dumbledore's answer. No need to ask him to elaborate what he meant. They all know exactly _why_ it took them five years before they finally tracked down Mystyk Rydel. Her guardian, a runaway witch, Gertude Wiles, was an almost follower of Lord Voldemort. After the Dark Lord's failed attempt to kill a young Harry Potter, all his followers were broken and are on the run, leaving no traces at all of their old life and slowly plotting for the return of their fearless leader.

Gertude Wiles knew what Mystyk Rydel's purpose is in the Dark Lord's plan to kill Harry Potter, and after the Dark Lord's defeat Gertude Wiles changed her mind about turning completely into the dark side of magic, but she couldn't return back to where she came from. She knew of Voldemort's plan concerning Mystyk Rydel hence she took the infant girl as soon as news of the Dark Lord's defeat spread and has remained in hiding since.

Until Mystyk's eleventh birthday and the first of the numerous Hogwarts letters reached their home. Since then Gertude Wiles worked hard to keep Mystyk as far away from Hogwarts; sending her young charge off elsewhere and concocting a hiding spell so no one would be able to find her.


	8. Seven Trick or Treat

**~*~** _I just want to take this moment to thank those who has reviewed this fic. I really appreciate them. Please continue on reading the rest of the chapters and as always I love reading your reviews. I am doing my best to update almost every day, but sometimes I get writer's block and I couldn't think of what to write for the next chapter or what to add to a particular chapter. So please bear with me. I'll post as many updated chapters as I can, just hang in there. THANKS!_ **~*~**

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**CHAPTER SEVEN: _Trick or Treat_**

Halloween at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is always a memorable experience. For Mystyk it's an overwhelmingly whole new experience. She got to actually see a live ghost show and the feast in the Great Hall...she has never seen--or _eaten_--so much sweet in her entire fifteen years of existence!

"Had enough sweets, Mystyk?" Draco asked when he noticed Mystyk stopped taking treats from the vast selection before them.

"Yes. I think my sweet tooth's already satisfied." she gave him a genuine smile then asked, "What about you? Still going for more treats?"

Draco looked shocked at her show of interest. In the past few weeks Mystyk hasn't given him any indication of being friendly to him, but tonight she's all friendliness and smiles. It makes him wonder _what_ she has got planned under her sleeves.

Mystyk caught the last thread of Draco's thoughts and hastily assured him, "Draco, I don't have anything bad planned against you. Why can't you just take whatever is being offered to you at face value?" she asked, frowning as she studied his face. She could see she surprised him once again for reading his thoughts. Really she has to stop saying stuff to people before they could even open their mouths.

"How..." Draco began but decided to abandon whatever he was about to ask her. He already knew she would give him a flippant reply if asked how she read his mind. And she said to take whatever is being offered to him at face value? _But if you're offering me your friendship, Mystyk Rydel, that is not what I want. I want more than just your friendship._

Mystyk frowned. She definitely read _that_ thought!

_Oh Draco..._ she sighed as she continued to look at him fondly, making sure that she doesn't voice out any concerns. _You're a great guy, if only you'd let it show sometimes._

_I wonder why she says that._ Harry wondered as he looked at the raven-haired Slytherin girl seated across the room beside his arch enemy, Draco Malfoy. Since their first meeting at the library, he has seen less and less of Mystyk in the following days--except during breakfast, lunch and dinner when he could catch a glimpse of her dining with her fellow Slytherin housemates in the Great Hall.

Mystyk obviously heard him because her head suddenly darted to _his_ direction and her bright, violet eyes sought his. Smiling at his direction she read what her mind was saying: _Can't you read what Draco's thinking?_

Harry frowned. Oh no...it can't be happening again!

_I can read your mind again._ he answered her.

_That's good then. We can have a conversation._ she replied.

_But...how? I mean, I don't have any psychic or telepathic training._ he frowned, his gaze holding hers and a smile forming on the corners of his mouth.

_And neither do I, but I can do it anyway. Besides, it's nice to finally have someone to have some telepathic conversation with. Honestly, I am with Slytherin, but the only person I talk to is Draco. Not that Draco's a very good companion at times, but I can sense something nice lurking beneath his conceited demeanor. None of my other housemates are worth two figs to talk to._ she complained.

Harry chuckled, nodding his agreement. Although he is not personally acquainted with any Slytherin students, he could tell just by watching them over the years that none of them are worth talking to. Nothing but gossip and backbiting from most Slytherin students.

Hermoine noticed Harry grinning and followed the direction of his eyes, frowning when she saw Mystyk Rydel smiling back at her housemate and best friend. Shaking her head and rolling her eyes heavenward, she jabbed Harry on the ribs and whispered, "Stop playing goggley-eyes with Ms. I-Can-Read-Your-Mind Slytherin Girl, Harry. People who might catch you two looking at each other like that might think something's up between you two."

Two pink stains appeared on Harry's cheeks as he hastily broke eye contact with Mystyk, mumbling under his breath to Hermoine, "Did it _really_ look like Mystyk and I have something going on?"

Hermoine frowned and shook her head, "Oh Harry, you have a _huge_ crush on her, you don't even know it!" she chided, nudging her friend slightly sideways.

"Hermoine..." he hissed, his face turning a bright shade of red as he continued to blush.

"What?" Hermoine gave him an innocent look, snatching another swirly red and white lollipop from the basket of treats set before them.

"I _don't_ have a crush on Mystyk." he denied.

"Yeah-huh. And I am not really a bookworm."

Harry glared at his friend, "I just find her interesting. Unlike her other Slytherin housemates, _she's_ different." he pointed out.

Hermoine stopped licking the lollipop she just grabbed and gave her friend a quizzical look, "And _how_ exactly can you prove that, hm?"

"I can't really prove it, but it's just a gut-feeling I have. She's so unlike the rest of Slytherin. She's not a gossip. She doesn't backbite. And if you ask me, she has tried to befriend everybody else, but since she is in Slytherin house she's having quite a hard time finding friends around her."

Hermoine's eyebrow rose after she listened to what her friend has to say. "My, Harry. I think Mystyk Rydel has just found her champion in you." she teased.

"Hermoine, will you _please_ take me seriously for a change?" he hissed, exasperated at his friend's dubiousness towards him.

"I _am_ taking you seriously, Harry. But what you're saying sounds...well, it doesn't really sound far-fetched since I've heard from a couple of our housemates that that they have seen Mystyk at the library and actually shared a table with her. They said she's really nice and friendly, found it quite odd when she answered questions neither of them voiced, but of course none of the other people here--with the exception of you, Ron, myself, and Dumbledore--know that she's a psychic-slash-telepathic." she replied earnestly.

"But if she is like that, then why is she placed in Slytherin?"

"That's the question only the Sorting Hat knows. Remember it's the _hat_ that puts us where we're ought to be placed." she reminded, "Who knows? Maybe the Sorting Hat found in her qualities that best signifies a Slytherin than a Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff."

Before Harry could say something back to his friend, the jubilant mood inside the Great Hall were soon interrupted when a strong gust of wind that came from nowhere slammed open the Great Hall doors and all the Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff ghosts came floating inside, their faces holding a different, more menacing expression. Everyone felt the cold chill as the ghosts floated, hovered and watched each student intently.

_What's going on? Is this a regular event during Halloween?_ Mystyk asked, her eyes focused on Harry.

Harry kept his eyes fixed on the floating ghosts overhead but answered Mystyk's inquiry, _No. This isn't a normal event during Halloween. This is the first time the ghosts gave out this menacing feel about in the air._

_Then what's wrong? What's going on? I am not really a ghost fan. I always thought they're eerie and mean. And right now they are starting to make me believe what I initially thought of about them._

_Your guess is as good as mine, Mystyk. Your guess is as good as mine._ Harry removed his eyes from Nearly-Headless Nick, the usually friendly Gryffindor ghost, to meet Mystyk's trouble gaze.

_But what--_ "_Aaahhh!_" Mystyk didn't finish her mental question to Harry as she let out an ear-piercing shriek when she was suddenly pulled off her seat beside Draco and lifted a few feet into the air by one of the Slytherin ghosts whose eyes pierced right through her skull.

Everyone turned to the direction of the Slytherin table, gasping and gaping as they watched Mystyk dangle above them. Professor Dumbledore was shouting orders to the dastardly ghost that pulled Mystyk off her seat, but the ghost wasn't paying attention to him. The ghost kept a firm grip on Mystyk's neck while everyone else, especially Harry and Draco, fret beneath her, ordering the gutsy ghost to unhand its prisoner. All their attempts were futile.

Harry was thinking of using some sort of spell on the ghost when he too was suddenly yanked off his seat, his feet flailing and his wand fell on the table beside Hermoine as he levitated a few feet off the ground. This time the ghostly culprit was Nearly-Headless Nick that held on to Harry's neck tightly. Once Harry was securely off the ground, the two ghosts started to float away with their captures.

Both Mystyk and Harry attempted to unclamp the ghosts hands off their necks, but to no avail. All they scratched and kicked was think air.

"_Help!_" Harry and Mystyk screamed at the same time as the ghost floated them away from their house tables. "_Somebody help me!_" they sing-songed when no one moved or even attempted to help them from their ghostly captors.

Ron and Hermoine shot a worried look at their best friend and the Slytherin girl being taken away. They were too worried, too scared, and too nervous to think of a plan to execute.

"Hermoine, _help them!_" hissed George, his eyes darting back and forth from Harry and Nearly-Headless Nick to Hermoine and back to Harry and Nearly-Headless Nick once again.

"How? I--I don't know how to stop those ghosts from taking them away. They're not listening to Dumbledore. And they're ghosts! What could possibly repel ghosts?" Hermoine asked, looking wild-eyed at Ron then to Ron's twin brothers before turning her gaze back up to Harry and Nearly-Headless Nick.

Everyone stopped their worried chattering when above the students' chatter Professor Dumbledore's voice rose, commanding both ghosts to unhand Harry and Mystyk right at that instant. Everyone in the Great Hall hushed up and looked at the teacher's table where Professor Dumbledore now stood, his eyes glaring up at the two ghosts floating above the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables.

"I know this isn't the real ghosts that you two are. You're both being manipulated by someone. Now I _demand_ you safely put Mr. Potter and Ms. Rydel down." his angrily snapped, "Put them down are I'll be forced to vanquish you both permanently off this place and off this plane!" he threatened when the two ghosts remained stubborn.

To everyone's surprise, both ghosts turned to glare back at Professor Dumbledore. They spoke at the same time, their voices not their own as they chillingly said in a menacing tone: "Let this be a warning to you, Dumbledore. Nothing stand against me and what I want."

The entire Great Hall gasped as both Harry and Mystyk were let go by the ghosts, their shrieks echoed around the big room. Other students covered their eyes as they watched in horror what is happening to two of their schoolmates while the rest remained rooted to their seats--frozen--and their eyes not peeling away from the two bodies falling steadily to the ground. Just before Harry and Mystyk crashed to the hard, cold Great Hall floor, a pair of small mini tornado appeared above the ground, catching them both in time before their heads splattered on their floor.

They were both knocked unconscious by the fall.

The teachers quickly scrambled off their seats, rushing to the aide of the two students. Professor Dumbledore told the Prefects to usher the students to their houses. He gave the Head Boy and Girl the task of making sure his orders were followed before he rushed to an unconscious Harry and Mystyk.

Nearly-Headless Nick and the Slytherin ghost, as well as the other ghosts, came off the trance that made them act very much unlike their usual selves.

"Good gracious! What just happened?" demands Nearly-Headless Nick and he glanced down and found Harry and Mystyk being carried out of the Great Hall. "Oh no, _Harry!_" he called and floated down to see what happened to the young Gryffindor, but he was reprimanded from coming any where near Harry or Mystyk by Professor McGonagall.

"Not right now, Sir Nick." she commanded sternly.

"But--but--_what_ happened, Professor?" he asked curiously, worried at what happened to Harry whom, just minutes ago, he saw happily eating all the sweets presented before him at the Gryffindor table.

It was Professor Dumbledore who spoke on Professor McGonagall's behalf, "Sir Nick, I need a word with you. As well as with the other ghosts. The teachers will escort Ms. Rydel and Mr. Potter out of here. I want all of you to remain here with me."

With one last fleeting look at Harry, Sir Nick expelled a sigh and remained in the Great Hall with the headmaster and the rest of the Hogwarts ghosts.


	9. Eight Hospital Wing

**CHAPTER EIGHT: _Hospital Wing_**

Harry woke up with a start. He was briefly disoriented as he gazed around the dark, unfamiliar room. At first he didn't now where he was, but as his eyes adjusted to the dark, he soon noticed some familiar objects of the hospital wing.

He expelled a disgruntled sigh and stared at the ceiling. He has visited the hospital wing numerous times since he attended Hogwarts that the hospital wing felt like a second room to him already.

On the bed next to his somebody stirred, catching his attention. He turned to look at his roommate and gasped when he saw Mystyk sleeping on the bed next to his. She is sleeping on her side facing him. This gave Harry a full view of Mystyk Rydel's sleeping face. She looked very peaceful and angelic-like even while sleeping.

Could Hermoine be right? Does he have a big crush on Mystyk Rydel?

Sure she's by far the prettiest girl in all of Hogwarts. She's very nice too and always helpful. She has a sweet smile that often flash in his head every night whenever he closes his eyes. He thought he was going crazy at first, thinking way too much about the Slytherin girl who was hardly seen frolicking around the castle along with the other students.

Mystyk stirred in her sleep once again. Harry stiffened where he was.

Mystyk fluttered her eyes open, blinking rapidly at first when she awoke sleeping on a completely different bed. She let her eyes adjust to the dark, noticing that someone is watching her from the bed across from her. As soon as she could figure out the person lying on the bed beside hers, her smile slowly pulled into a welcoming smile.

"Hi Harry."

"H-hullo, Mystyk." Harry stammered.

Mystyk closed her eyes once again, her smile still plastered on her face, belatedly realizing that she just greeted a _boy_ sleeping in same quarters as her! Her violet eyes fluttered open once again and stared wide-eyed at her roommate.

"_Harry?_"

Harry gave her a sheepish smile, "M-Mystyk." he nodded.

She quickly sat bolt up, clutching the blanket to her chin. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Hey, look, don't worry. We're--we're in the hospital wing." he told her.

"Hospital wing?" she echoed, looking around the unfamiliar place. "W-what are we doing here?"

"We must have passed out after what happened in the Great Hall." he shrugged, sitting up himself and leaning against headboard of the bed.

"Those ghosts!" Mystyk gasped, "W-why'd they do that?"

"I don't know." Harry shook his head, "They never acted that way before. It looks as though they were possessed or something."

"They sure were scary. I know Hogwarts ghosts are friendly, but last night...they scared the bejeepers out of me!"

"Me too. I can't believe Nearly-Headless Nick did what he just did, scooping me up like that and crunching my neck until I thought it would snap!" he touched his neck, flinching when he touched the spot where Nearly-Headless Nick strangled him.

"Mine too. And they never listened to Dumbledore."

"But I remember them saying something before they let us go." Harry mused, remembering what the ghosts said to the headmaster before they freed both himself and Mystyk from their death-grip.

Mystyk's forehead furrowed, trying to remember what was it she last heard the ghosts said before her mind went blank.

"I believe they said something about always getting what they want." she turned to Harry, watching his face contort into a frown as well.

"Yeah." he nodded, "Yeah, I think that's what they said too." he agreed.

"What does it mean?" she frowned.

"I don't know, Mystyk. It's the first time the ghosts did what they did last night." he repeated to her.

"Well, I sure hope that I'm not going to be at the receiving end the next time it happens." she touched her somewhat still sore neck, "I still value my life!"

"Yeah, me too."

~*~

Harry and Mystyk were released by Madam Pomfrey the following day, doing some last-minute spell to hide the bruise marks on their necks where the ghosts gripped them tightly. They remained silent all the way back to their respective houses, but at the Entrance Hall they were cornered by Ron and Hermoine who looked very much relieved when he saw them walking towards the stairs.

"You alright, Harry?" Ron was the first to speak, looking expectantly at his best friend.

Harry smiled his cute, boyish smile and nodded. "I'm alright. And you two?"

"Worried-sick about what has happened to you!" Hermoine let out a sigh of relief and crossed the space separating them. She didn't give much care to what others might think and quickly threw her arms around her best friend's neck, relieved to find him alive and kicking. "Thank God Dumbledore acted immediately and summoned two miniature twisters to break both your falls!" she pulled away from her friend and smiled at Mystyk, "Otherwise we wouldn't be standing here talking right now."

"Thank God he has good reflexes." Mystyk muttered, giving a feint smile to the dark haired girl and red headed boy. "Hi. I don't believe we've met. I'm Mystyk Rydel." she jerked out her hands to Ron and Hermoine's.

"We already know your name. I'm Ron Weasley. Nice to finally be _properly_ introduced to you, Mystyk." Ron pumped her hand so hard unintentionally that it looked like it was almost being unscrewed from her shoulder. Harry was right. Up close Mystyk Rydel is truly one of the prettiest girls in all of Hogwarts. Even Cho Chang--Harry's former crush--doesn't stand a chance against Mystyk Rydel's exotic beauty.

Hermoine noticed that Ron looked bedazzled by the Slytherin girl. He wouldn't let go of her hand! She elbowed him aside and shook hands with Mystyk, "Hermoine Granger. Nice to meet you, Mystyk."

"Likewise." Mystyk smile, exchanging a brief handshake with the Gryffindor girl before turning to Harry, "Well, I think I better go back to my dormitory. I'm sure all my housemates are dying to hear some more gossip about what happened last night." she flicked her short mop of jet-black hair and smiled at Hermoine and Ron, "Again it was a pleasure meeting you two. Hope to talk to you again soon. I'll be starting to join your classes really soon."

"How soon?" Harry couldn't help asking, excitement lacing his tone and a quick glance at Hermoine's way told him he was quite obvious with his glee at hearing this tidbit of information.

"After Christmas. I am just catching up with this semester's stuff. Professor Dumbledore said that after the Christmas holiday I'll be able to join the rest of the fifth years in their classes." she looked meaningfully at Harry, Hermoine, Ron then back to Harry before adding, "I do hope I get to be in at least _one_ class with the three of you. It'll be nice to have somebody I know a bit to sit with in class." she turned and waved at the three of them, "Bye!"

"Bye!" the trio echoed, waving after Mystyk's departing back.

Harry and Ron seemed bewitched by the Slytherin girl's charming smile that it took Hermoine a while to get them back to join her in the real world. She didn't waste time asking Harry what exactly happened the night before. She bombarded him with questions about Nearly-Headless Nick's attempt to kill him and so on. Harry told her as much as he could remember and know, but other than that, like the rest of the students at Hogwarts, they have no idea what prompted the ghosts to act that way the night before.

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**~*~** _okay, this chapter is kinda sucky as far as i'm concerned. i am trying to show Harry's attraction to Mystyk and how Mystyk affects the male population of Hogwarts with just a single smile. please read and review as always. i am thinking of what to write for the next chapter now...after this chapter i'm kinda stumped on as to how i'll proceed with the following chapter..._ **~*~**


	10. Nine Moonlit Broomstick Ride

**CHAPTER NINE: _Moonlit Broomstick Ride_**

Harry just finished his thrice-a-night Quidditch practice with the rest of the Gryffindor team when he ran in to Mystyk carrying a broomstick after her looking inconspicuous wearing a black hooded robe that covered her from head to toe, but oddly enough Harry knew it was Mystyk sneaking out of the castle. How did he know?

He read her mind, of course.

His ability to read Mystyk's mind--and hers only for some odd reason--is soon becoming like second nature to Harry that whenever he catches snippets of her runaway thoughts, he couldn't help himself from grinning. One time when he was about to fall asleep locked up in his shared dormitory room with Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean he heard Mystyk thinking out loud. At first he thought he was just dreaming, but he focused his attention more closely and listened attentively to what she was thinking about and couldn't help himself from talking to her.

Needless to say he didn't get a good night's sleep that night. He spent hours chatting with Mystyk telepathically. He got to know her even more that evening. And since they rarely get together during the day (she still have to take classes in private with Professor Dumbledore) they update each other on her progress in each level of lesson she is taking.

Approaching Mystyk quietly, Harry made sure he didn't make not even a small squeak and addressed the scurrying Mystyk.

"Where are we off to, Ms. Rydel?"

Mystyk must've jumped a good two feet when she heard Harry's voice. She quickly spun around, clutching her broomstick behind her and the hood of her dark robe falling to reveal her shiny (as always) jet-black hair. She gave out a nervous chuckle and tried to thinking rapidly of excuses to give him, belatedly realizing that it would be a futile attempting considering Harry could read her mind.

"Come off it, Mystyk. You're sneaking out. I caught you. Now either you tell me _why_ you're sneaking out with a broomstick in tow _or_ I report you to Dumbledore." he threatened.

At the mention of the headmaster's name Mystyk's violet eyes widen.

"Please Harry, you're not really going to tell on me, are you?"

"I'll think about it."

"_Harry!_"

He grinned. "C'mon Mystyk, it's probably close to nine o'clock--what are you doing out of your dormitory? Shouldn't you be locked up in Slytherin House along with the others doing whatever it is you do at night?" he frowned.

"I should be. But when I gazed outside my bedroom window and saw the moon...it just beckons me to go outside tonight and fly on my broomstick!" she looked very animated as she explained herself to Harry. Her face lit-up like the full moon he saw outside during Quidditch practice, and Harry couldn't help his heart from skipping a beat as he looked at her pretty face.

"Ahh..._or_ you just saw us practicing Quidditch out by the stadium and decided to try it out, hm?" Harry said teasingly.

Mystyk made a face at him and shook her head, chortling as she did so.

"Whatever, Mr. Potter. I wasn't paying attention to you practicing Quidditch--what is it anyway?--I was concentrating on the moon."

Harry grinned and with a quick glance over his shoulder, he saw the rest of his teammates disappearing up the stone stairway. He turned back to Mystyk, "Well if you're really antsy to have a broomstick ride, mind if I tag along?"

He surprised himself as well as Mystyk with his offer. He knew that his life is still in some sort of great peril, what with Voldermort and his cronies on the loose and are looking for him, but his instinct told him to stick with Mystyk and protect her as much as possible.

Protect her from what? He doesn't know yet, but somehow deep in the pit of his stomach some unknown force draws him to protect her as best as he could.

"But aren't you going to breaking some sort of Hogwarts rule if you sneak out with me, hm?" Mystyk couldn't help herself from teasing him.

"Nah. I've broken one too many rules since I started school here. What's one more, hm?" he replied haughtily.

"I guess it doesn't really matter much." she shrugged and turned her back to him, "C'mon, the moon awaits!" she added gleefully as she scurried out the Entrance Hall with Harry not far behind her.

Neither one spoke until they reached the lake. Both Harry and Mystyk were nearly out of breath, but excitement bubbled up from her throat as she gazed at the starlit night sky and the large moon beckoning her to soar up to the night sky and be one with the moon and stars.

"Ooh, this is exciting!" she giggled, whipping the hood of her robe off her head and tilting her head back, her eyes transfixed on the sky.

Harry was practically panting when he caught up with her, but Mystyk's enthusiasm was too contagious that he too felt giddy too.

"Is this the first time you're going to ride a broomstick?" he inquired, propping his Firebolt beside him and leaning against it.

"Awake, yeah." she nodded, not looking at Harry's direction.

Harry's face contorted into an unreadable expression.

"What do you mean?"

Mystyk tore her gaze from the night sky and smiled at her companion, "Since I was a child I've had this recurring dream of me flying under the full moon perched on a broomstick. I never thought that day will come when I can actually ride a broomstick!"

"Do you think you can manage on your own?"

"We'll see. I think Madam Hooch has taught me how to handle a broomstick during one of our private Flying lessons."

"Hmm...in that case I better stay down here and watch you first. See how well you can handle a broomstick."

"Oh come now, Harry. Please tell me you have some faith in me at least!" she looked crestfallen at Harry's obvious distrust of her ability to fly a broomstick.

"For safety." he winked at her.

Mystyk lifted an eyebrow but didn't bother to question him. Setting her broomstick down on the grassy ground, she put her hand out and with a stern "Up!" the broomstick flew up to hand.

"Impressive." Harry smiled appreciatively, "Now you have to climb on to your broomstick and hover a little."

"Oh shush-up, _Professor_ Potter. I think I've dreamt one too many times of flying _and_ listened to Madam Hooch's careful instruction so I'll be alright." she answered haughtily, climbing her broomstick and pushed off the ground.

Harry watched Mystyk fly up to the night sky. The full moon above was enough light to illuminate the petite raven-haired girl's figure zooming here and there above Harry. He remained watching her on the ground for at least a couple of minutes before deciding to join her in the air. He could hear her cackling and couldn't help himself from grinning from ear to ear.

"Having fun yet, Ms. Rydel?" Harry asked when he came level with her above the lake.

Mystyk glanced to her side, her smile reaching the stars above as she yelled over to her companion, "Never had this much fun since...oh, since my first camping trip!"

"That's good then." he nodded, "One more round around the castle then we have to go back. I believe we've been out here long enough." he added, looking nervously down at the castle. Some of the rooms were still aglow with lights while other rooms were clothed in dark. He only wished none of the teachers spotted the two of them having fun flying above the lake enjoying the stars and the full, beckoning moon.

"Oh, don't be too uptight, Harry Potter!" Mystyk scolded when she flew above him and turned herself upside-down on her broomstick.

"_Mystyk!_" Harry exclaimed in horror as he came nose-to-nose with an inverted Mystyk.

"Oh Harry, you're so uptight. You know, for a guy who plays a deadly sport such as Quidditch, you're a sissy when it comes to a girl showing off on her broomstick." she winked and rightened herself before moving to hover on her broomstick beside Harry.

"I thought you don't know what Quidditch is?" he frowned, remembering her asking him what it was when he first mentioned the game to her.

She gave him a sheepish smile, "So I said a little white lie. Am I going to be punished now?" she batted her eyes like an innocent six-year-old.

"Oh you bet you are." Harry replied menacingly.

Mystyk let out a gleeful shriek and sped up on her broomstick with Harry not far behind her. They raced back and forth across the inky black sky filled with stars and the large full moon, with Harry gaining fast behind Mystyk. Her delighted shrieks filled the quiet night sky. She zoomed back and forth, bobbed up and down, swung left and right to avoid Harry's determined speed. He nearly grabbed her fluttering robe once, but she was quick enough to duck out of reach.

They continued their game of cat and mouse, unbeknownst to them that they were being watched by three pairs of eyes from one of the dark rooms of the castle.

"Look at them, Albus. They sure do get along quite well, don't they?" Professor McGonagall commented as she fixed her eyes on the two students zooming back and forth on the night sky.

"Yes, they do." Professor Dumbledore sighed, his eyes darting back and forth from Harry to Mystyk. "Alas but their destinies are clouded with dark forces working to ruin them both." he added almost mournfully.

"Yeah. A complete waste of friendship if you ask me." muttered Professor Snape who stood on Professor Dumbledore's other side.

"But we _can_ prevent that friendship from going to waste." Professor McGonagall said hopefully, turning to look at the school headmaster, "Can't we, Albus?"

"It's going to be a tricky feat, Minerva. After all it's in both their destinies to become enemies one way or they other."

"But look at them now," she pointed a hand at the direction of the two fifteen-year-old students racing across the sky before them, "they look so comfortable in each other's company. We did our best to keep them apart from one another, but they still found ways to get together and become good friends."

"Give them time, Professor, give them time and you'll see. They won't be chummy with one another soon enough." hissed Professor Snape, turning his back to the window and stalking into the middle of the dark room.

"Oh Severus have a heart." Professor Dumbledore said over her shoulder at his Potions teacher, "You might be surprised at what might happen next."

Professor Snape quickly turn and faced the headmaster, "Surely after what happened on Halloween--"

Professor McGonagall cut him off, "The _ghosts_ were the once who brought menace to those two. In case you have forgotten, both Ms. Rydel _and_ Mr. Potter were injured when the ghost suddenly went haywire."

Professor Snape was rendered speechless. That was true of course, he couldn't deny that odd twist of fate that occurred during Halloween.

"But their destinies were already plotted, Minerva. She is who she is--there's nothing we can do to change that." he left the room them after those parting words, leaving a disturbed Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"He's right, of course." Professor Dumbledore agreed after Professor Snape left. "There _is_ a chance that she will turn against him when they both least expected it."

Professor McGonagall took a deep breath and gazed out the window once again, watching the giggly teenagers chase each other on their broomsticks.

"They look so perfect for each other."

"That's how Voldemort wanted it." Professor Dumbledore mentioned the Dark Lord's name without flinching, but Professor McGonagall did. A slight shiver passed down her spine as well as she continued to watch Harry and Mystyk enjoy their moonlit broomstick ride.

~*~

Harry and Mystyk snuck quietly back into the castle after their hour and a half broomstick ride, each were out of breath and their faces a blotchy red color due to the cold wind that whipped their faces as they raced across the night sky trying to out-fly one another.

At the first landing leading to their houses secret passages Harry and Mystyk bid each other goodnight.

"Thanks for riding with me tonight, Harry. I really enjoyed it." Mystyk said in a low voice.

"No problem. You're a good flyer, Mystyk. A born natural." Harry smiled.

"Your broomstick is way too fast for me. You almost caught me thrice!"

"But you're good a ducking away."

Mystyk smiled at him. Harry smiled back. They stood at the bottom of the first landing staring at each other, holding their broomsticks and neither moved.

Hidden in the shadows three pairs of eyes were watching the couple stare at each other. Hermione kept on squeezing Ron's arm as she contain herself from giggling out loud. Draco couldn't stop glaring at Harry for being the receiver of Mystyk's smile. As the trio watched, Harry and Mystyk started to close the distance between them slowly until they were just an inch away from each other.

"Oh they're going to kiss! They're going to kiss!" Hermione chanted under her breath as she tugged on Ron's arm.

"_Ouch!_ Hermione, do you mind?" Ron hissed, trying to retrieve his arm back from Hermione's death grip.

"Oh, I'm sorry." she apologized and quickly let go of her other best friend's arm.

"Thank you."

Draco, meanwhile, couldn't stop himself from clenching and unclenching his fist. _Don't kiss her, Potter. Don't even think of kissing her!_

But neither Mystyk nor Harry were listening to Draco's train of thought. On their own accord both their heads tilted to the side and their lips slowly inched their way towards each other's.

Fireworks lit up the dark stairway (as far as Harry and Mystyk were concerned anyway) as soon as their lips touched. It was their first kiss. And it was perfect. It took them a while from pulling away from each other, but once they did their eyes were misty.

Harry couldn't think of what to say. He was too shocked about what just happened to think coherently right at that very moment.

Mystyk meanwhile seemed to have gathered her wits. Squaring her shoulder she took a deep breath and met Harry's eyes, "I _definitely_ enjoyed tonight, Harry. Thanks...for everything." and then she turned to head back to where the Slytherin House dormitory is located.

"Yeah. Me too." Harry said under his breath, his green eyes fixed on Mystyk's departing back.

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**~*~** _okay, i hope you all liked this chappie...a bit longer than my previews ones, but i just want to show the attraction building up between Harry & Mystyk--and also to reveal more of what's in store for Harry & Mystyk's doomed relationship...or is it indeed doomed? please R&R!!! thanks._** ~*~**


	11. Ten Rendezvous After Dark

**CHAPTER TEN: _Rendezvous After Dark_**

Harry and Mystyk continued to meet every night under the watchful eyes of Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape. They wanted to be on alert at the very first sign of trouble.

Snape and McGonagall were tempted to mark off points against each student the first time Harry and Mystyk snuck out, but Dumbledore stopped them.

"Let them have some fun." he told his Potions teacher and Transfiguration teacher before they stormed out and put a stop on Harry and Mystyk's fun.

"But Professor, _they_ are breaking school rules!" Snape argued.

"And they are also teenagers, Severus. Let them be." Dumbledore pointed out.

"You are so lenient to these brats, no wonder they run amok." Snape hissed, clearly not impressed with Dumbledore's decision.

Since then both professors--along with Dumbledore--kept a close eye on Harry and Mystyk whenever they ventured out into the night. So far nothing bad has happened, and they liked to keep it that way. Of course they couldn't really count on keeping a clean streak for long.

Harry and Mystyk grew closer after that night they first flew together. Neither mentioned anything about the kiss they shared, but every time they looked at each other they knew and they remembered all to well the feeling each ignited into one another the moment their lips touched.

When snow started to cover the Hogwarts ground, Harry and Mystyk agreed to meet somewhere away from the castle and just talk. On clear nights they would mount their brooms and hover over the ground carrying on with an animated discussion, sometimes they would fly around with the snow when it wasn't blowing too hard and visibility is still normal. They would talk for hours on end, sometimes staying up later than necessary (the latest being 3 o'clock in the morning), immersed in each other's story, unbeknownst to either one of them that they were being watched--by more than just the usual three pairs of eyes that kept a close vigil on the two of them. The fourth pair of eyes studied the two students more carefully, making mental notes on what their weaknesses are, avoiding to be seen by the Headmaster and the two students' House Heads.

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**~*~**_ sorry short chappie, but i think this chappie unveiled another mystery that cloaks the mystery behind Mystyk and her future at Hogwarts--and also with Harry. as always R&R. keep those reviews coming, thanks! i'll update as often as i can, as always please bear with me._** ~*~**


	12. Eleven Busted

**CHAPTER ELEVEN:_ Busted_**

Mystyk and Harry parted at the first landing as always after their usual evening rendezvous. Mystyk quietly snuck back to Slytherin House dormitory while Harry went on to sneak back into his Gryffindor House dormitory.

She was almost near the large portrait hole when a flash of white materialized from the dark, causing Mystyk to have a heart attack. Thankfully she quickly recognized who it was and gave a feint smile, clutching her hand to her chest to stop her heart from pounding rapidly against her ribcage.

"Oh Draco, it's only you. What are you doing skulking in the dark?"

"Waiting for you, what else?" he snarled.

"W-waiting for me?" Mystyk stammered.

"Yeah. I know you and Potter have a _date_ every night. I'm surprised no one has caught you two yet."

Mystyk's breath got caught in her throat.

"Y-you're not going to tell me on, are you?" she's more scared for Harry than for herself. From what Harry told her of his hi-jinx at Hogwarts since he started, she knew he's walking a mighty thin line right now, especially since Professor Snape holds some sort of grudge against him.

"And give me a good reason why I shouldn't." Draco challenged.

"Because if you were in my shoes you would feel the urge to sneak out at night too."

"No way!" he denied profusely.

Too late. Mystyk already read his thoughts before he spoke. He too is screaming to become as carefree like Harry and herself, but he has a reputation to uphold.

"Why do you have to live up to what people _expects_ of you?" she asked without bothering to think twice of what she was saying. "Draco, you're not really...I mean, I can _sense_ that you're not at all that bad inside. Why not try to be friendly to others instead of acting _inferior_ towards them?"

"You don't know what you're talking about." he snapped irately and turned her back to her, walking ahead of her back to their dormitory.

Mystyk tried to follow say something else before he was a few feet away from her, but she decided at the very last minute to keep her mouth shut. She obviously touched a very raw nerve somewhere and it's enough right now. She continued walking after Draco, oblivious of being watched by someone more inferior than Draco Malfoy.

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**~*~**_ sorry for another short chappie. i am running out of ideas for this chappie, but i think i opened up another secret...well, as far as my productive mind's concerned i am thinking of writing a sequel to this...hehehe--yeah, and i am not even close to finishing THIS fic yet...hehehe, oh well, as always i look forward to read all your reviews of the story so far..._** ~*~**


	13. Twelve Christmas Gift Shopping

**CHAPTER TWELVE: _Christmas Gift Shopping_**

Harry zoomed in and out one store after another searching for a perfect Christmas present for Mystyk. he doesn't know why he's even bothering to buy her a present. He doesn't know what she likes. She never once hinted to him what she wants for Christmas. And yet here he is beating his brains out searching for something to give her for a present.

"C'mon Harry. You're taking forever." hissed Ron beside him.

"Just a minute, Ron. I'm torn between giving her a charmed necklace with a heart locket so she could put pictures of whomever _or_ give her a pair of earrings." Harry looked at the pair of emerald earrings on display at small jewelry section of one of the numerous stores to visit at Hogsmeade. "Emerald would bring out the color of her eyes, don't you think so?" he frowned at his best friend, seeking his opinion on something as crucial as finding _the_ perfect gift for a very special person.

"How should I know? I never shopped for gifts for girls other than for my sister and mother." Ron shrugged indifferently, "Pick whatever you think looks pretty and lets get out of here. I'm craving for some butterbeer." he whined, gazing longingly outside the shop window to the direction of the Three Broomsticks where Hermione and most of the Hogwarts students are heading.

Harry let out an exasperated sigh, still undecided on what to get Mystyk for Christmas. But he sensed that Ron doesn't have the patience to wait for him anymore and so he conceded. He will try and persuade Hermione after they're done drinking butterbeer to come back to this store with him and help him make a decision.

~*~

Since she didn't get permission to visit Hogsmeade during the designated weekends when students from the third year and up are allowed to go, Mysytk decided to remain within the Slytherin dormitory and took out her sketchpad and charcoal pencil. Drawing portraits had been a past time of hers since she was a kid, and since Christmas is drawing near she decided to sketch a portrait of Harry perched on his beloved Firebolt zooming across the night sky where a billion stars shone down on them and the beckoning full moon behind him. Oh yes, she can still picture him perfectly in her mind, that first night they both went flying together and every night since then.

Mystyk's smile grew wider and wider as she kept on envisioning Harry, with his always unruly hair being ruffled by the gentle night breeze as he fly his broomstick beside her. Then she envision Harry playing Quidditch. He pour all his concentration in to the game, keeping a close eye on the Golden Snitch.

Her enthusiasm over her current project seem to overcome her somehow. After spending a good hour and a half sketching Harry on his Firebolt she suddenly felt sleepy. She didn't want to be caught snoozing in the common room so she gathered her pencils and sketchpad and headed back to her room she shared with four other Slytherin girls. Making sure that her things are well hidden from view of her snoopy roommates, she gazed longingly at her bed and crawled under the covers. In one second flat she was fast asleep and thrown into dreamland...

~*~

"Harry?" Mystyk blinked a couple of times when she threw the covers away from her. She looked around the room and found that she's still in _her_ room. But what is Harry doing here? "W-what are you doing here?"

Harry's left upper lip quirked into a smile (or it looked like a smile to her).

"I missed you." he replied simply, advancing towards her. "Wanna go fly with me?" he invited.

"Are you serious?" she shot an alarmed look out her window then back at him, "It's still daylight!"

"So? We can go flying over at the Quidditch Pitch. I doubt anybody will see us there."

She gave him a funny look. Something's up. Something isn't right here, and first of those many things that isn't right is Harry standing in her bedroom! Nevertheless Mystyk got up and changed, snatching her broomstick she followed Harry outside the castle and made their way to the Pitch. Before they even reached the Pitch Harry already mounted his Firebolt and flew away, leaving Mystyk running after him.

"_Hey!_ Wait up for me, will you?" she called to the top of her lungs, but Harry didn't even bother to look over his shoulder or slowed down. He kept right on flying until he was out of sight. He gave Mystyk no other choice but to mount her own broomstick and flew after him.

Once she reached the empty Quidditch Pitch field she was surprised to find it deserted. Hovering on her broomstick a little, she turned her head from one end to the other and turned around just to make sure she didn't miss him.

"Harry?" she called out, but all she heard was her own voice echoing back. "Harry, where are you? Come on now, Harry, this isn't funny!" she circled the Quidditch Pitch for the third time and still came up empty-handed. She was almost ready to give up when she spotted Harry sitting on the stands, his Firebolt nowhere in sight.

This confused Mystyk. She was sure he had his Firebolt with him earlier. Intrigued she started to fly towards him, but a familiar voice from behind her made her stop and look over her shoulder, her violet eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets when she come face-to-face with Harry. She blinked twice and looked at the stands. Harry is still sitting there staring off in to space. She turned her gaze back to the boy before her. Harry is perched on his Firebolt hovering a few inches away from her.

"Kill him." Harry on Firebolt whispered to her, his voice sounding different now and more menacing.

"What?" she asked in astonishment.

Harry on Firebolt nodded his head to the direction of Harry sitting on the stands.

"Kill him." he whispered again, his time his eyes turning into something mischievously deadly.

Mystyk was caught in a trance as she gazed into his eyes. Somehow she was being bewitched. She was being put under a trance and became Harry on Firebolt's puppet.

"_Kill him._" Harry on Firebolt ordered her for the third time.

Mystyk got the message and flew towards where Harry was sitting on the stands. He saw her coming and his face broke into a smile. A warm, welcoming smile as he waved to her.

"Hi Mystyk!" he called out cheerfully. "Now I know what you do during your spare time when most of Hogwarts kids are at Hogsmeade." he added teasingly.

Mystyk neither returned his smile nor replied back to what he said. She reached for her wand hidden in her robe and pointed it at Harry.

"Whoa, Mystyk! What are you doing?" he asked worriedly, his green eyes moving back and forth from her raised wand to her face, "Mystyk?"

"_Avada Kedavra!_" Mystyk yelled out and a blast of light came shooting out of the tip of her wand.

"_No!_" Harry screamed as the blast hit him, blowing him up to thousands of pieces where he sat on the stands.

~*~

TO BE CONTINUED

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**~*~**_ did Mystyk kill really kill Harry? what will happen now? let me know your thoughts about this chapter and hang on while i finish the next chapter which will unfold what happens next..._** ~*~**


	14. Thirteen Mystyk's Nightmare

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN:_ Mystyk's Nightmare_**

"_Nooo!_" Mystyk sat bolt-up in bed, sweat the size of pearls running down her now sweaty forehead. Opening her eyes, she liked wildly about her empty dorm room, her breath coming out in gasps as she tried to orientate herself on her whereabouts.

"It was just a dream...it was just a dream..." she chanted to herself once she realized that she was in her bedroom all alone. She folded her knees up and pulled it closer to her chest, rocking back and forth on her bed as she began to sob. "It was just a bad dream...it was just a _very bad dream..._" she repeated to herself as her sobs gave way to a dam of tears that didn't stop flowing.

~*~

"_Aaargh!_" Harry hissed and his hand flew up to cover his scar that is suddenly burning his forehead.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked worriedly, clutching her arms around her best friend's and leading him on the corner of the store where the two of them are picking out a gift for Mystyk. She cast an apologetic look at the store owner and the other shoppers and dropped her voice to a whisper, "What is it?"

"My scar...it's burning." he hissed, clenching his eyes tightly.

Hermione gasped. "How bad is it this time?"

"Same as last year--or maybe worse." he hissed, his eyes starting to tear-up from the pain he's experiencing.

"Oh no...let's get you out of here, Harry." she quickly wrapped her arm around his shoulder and started to lead him out of the store.

"No. Not yet. I still need to buy Mystyk's gift."

"But your scar--"

"It hurts, I know. But I won't get another chance to buy her a Christmas present." he reached for his moneybag inside his robe and handed it to Hermione, "Buy her the necklace _and_ earrings for me, please? I don't think I'll be able to face the cashier with my scar burning like hell."

Hermione gave him a fleeting look. She knew how stubborn he could be and without further arguing with him, she took his moneybag and purchased the charmed necklace with a heart pendant and the pair of earrings he had been eyeing before he and Ron joined her at the Three Broomsticks for butterbeer. As soon she paid for her purchase, she led Harry out of the store and looked for Ron. She told him what happened and the three of them ventured back to school.

What Harry didn't tell his friends (and probably he wouldn't bother mentioning for a while) is that before he felt his scar burn, he had a flash. Something like a dream only he had it while he was awake and browsing at the store. In it he saw Mystyk aiming her wand at him and giving him the _Avada Kedavra_ curse. Only...only Mystyk didn't look like the Mystyk he has come to know over the course of the past few weeks. She looked different in his vision. And he noticed someone hovering on a broomstick behind her, but he couldn't quite figure out _who_ that person was. But he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach before he felt himself explode that whomever that person was behind Mystyk, Harry knew him. He knew him very well.

And that's what scares him the most.

Somebody's going to use somebody close to him to do him in.

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**~*~**_ okay, another short chappie, but i just thought it's high time i start unraveling more and more of what's the secret behind Mystyk Rydel. again i don't know how many times i have asked this from you, but please, please, PLEASE review what you think of the story so far, thanks a million!_** ~*~**


	15. Fourteen Hide & Seek

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN: _Hide-and-Seek_**

Harry noticed that Mystyk's been avoiding him since that weekend at Hogsmeade and his scar burned. She even stopped seeing him outside the castle for their nightly get together. When he tried talking to her telepathically she shuts him out. Her thoughts are closed to him and there's no other way he could get through to her. He suppose he could try approaching her during mealtime at the Great Hall, but she always makes sure that she is surrounded by at least a few Slytherin girls so talking to her in person is out.

"I want to know what is wrong with her." Harry hissed as he made his way to his next class with Ron on one side and Hermione on the other. "She's been avoiding me for days now and I don't know what I did wrong!"

"Maybe she's just got lots on her mind." Hermione said.

"Nah, she's just avoiding Harry because she's already showing her _true_ Slytherin side." Ron implied.

"C'mon Ron, be optimistic!" Hermione scolded then turned back to Harry, "Have you tried talking to her telepathically?"

"Yes. And she still won't answer me back!" Harry rasped irately, clenching his fist tightly.

"Well there's only one way for you to find out what's wrong with her, Harry." Hermione mused.

Harry frowned and glanced beside him at his friend, "And what's that?"

"Corner her, of course. Since she doesn't have any classes with any of the students yet, _where_ do you think she often frequents to study?"

~*~

Harry took Hermione's advice and went to search for Mystyk in the library during lunch. Sure enough she was right. Mystyk was isolated from everybody else on her favourite corner of the library surrounded with books. She was writing something on a piece of parchment. It must be an essay she had to give to Dumbledore.

He quietly crept up behind her, careful not to make a sound as to alert her of his presence. He even blanked out his mind so that she won't be able to read his thoughts, alerting her that he was about to approach her and have a long overdue conversation with her regarding her distancing herself from him all of a sudden.

"So, care to tell me _why_ you've been avoiding me for the last few days?" Harry surprised a deeply-engrossed Mystyk, sending her quill to jump from her hand.

Mystyk picked up her quill with a shaky hand. Taking a deep breath and looked over her shoulder and tried to glare at Harry, but she was still too shaken up to see him--let alone be around him in private--to actually glare him down.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be eating your lunch?" she asked irately, fixing the piece of parchment before her and dipped her quill in the ink blot.

"I should be. But I decided to skip it." he replied and pulled the chair beside her, placing his books on the table and watch Mystyk concentrate on whatever it is she is writing. "Care to enlighten me as to _why_ you have been avoiding me? What have I done to you? Did I do something wrong? I did bring you some butterbeer from Hogsmeade the weekend we were last there, but when I got back you didn't show up that night for our nightly meeting. So you can't be mad at me for _that_ since it was _you_ who ditched me!" he couldn't help his voice from increasing, and he received quite a few 'Shh' from everyone in the library.

Mystyk cast an alarmed look around, smiling apologetically at those who were glaring at their table. She turned back to a hot-tempered Harry seated beside her and let out an exasperated sigh, "I haven't been feeling well lately, Harry. I should've sent you an owl to let you know that I won't be able to meet with you that night, but I didn't and I apologize for that." she explained.

Harry's anger soon ebbed after hearing she wasn't feeling well.

"Are you alright? Have you gone to the hospital wing?"

"I'm fine now. I thought I was just coming down with a bad case of flu, but I'm fine." she assured him.

"Good." he let out a relieved sigh, "So we'll meet again tonight?" he asked hopefully. No matter how angry he is over her, he missed having her around. He missed her company so much that he has been tempted numerous times to yank her away from the group of nosy Slytherin girls she often surround herself with.

"Not tonight, Harry." she answered, gathering her belongings scattered about on the table and fixed them up. Piling each book she have on top of each other and pushed her chair away and stood up. "Not every, Harry, I'm sorry." she added before walking out of the library.

Harry tried to follow her, but he decided against it. She's hiding something from him. But what? She won't talk to him, unlike before when she could easily tell him anything and everything that's been bothering her. What happened that changed that camaraderie they have? 


	16. Fifteen Unexpected Change of Heart

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN: _Unexpected Change of Heart_**

Mystyk's quiet sobbing in the Slytherin Common Room is the reason that roused Draco from his bed and venture downstairs. She is sitting in front of the fire, her knees propped up and huddled close to her chest. She is resting her chin on her knees and her violet gaze fixed on the leaping flames coming from lighted fireplace.

"Mystyk? What are you doing still up?" Draco asked when he reached the bottom of the stairs leading up to their private quarters. He rubbed his eyes and sat on one of the couches near the fireplace.

Mystyk hastily dried her eyes, turning her face away from Draco's direction.

"I could ask the same about you. Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I _was_ in bed, but something woke me up." he shrugged, "Now care to tell me why you're crying?"

"I'm not crying." she denied, hiding her face from him still.

"I'm not blind and I certainly am not deaf. I can hear you sniffling all the way upstairs. And just now I saw you wipe away tears from your cheeks."

"You're just hearing _and_ seeing things." she said flatly and stretched her legs, "I think it's time for me to head to bed." she pushed herself off the couch she is using and walked away from Draco and the calming fire on the fireplace, but Draco grabbed her wrist before she could take as much as another step away.

"You're not alright. You and Potter never meet at night anymore. What happened?"

Mystyk tried to be free off Draco's grip on her wrist, but he was holding on to her wrist too tightly for her to shrug off. "I'm tired already, Malfoy. Let me go." she demands.

"Not until you answer my question." he demands, loosening his hold on her wrist but not entirely letting her go.

"And that is?"

"What happened between you and Potter? Why aren't you two hanging out together anymore like you used to?"

"_Nothing_ happened between Harry and myself. And the reason why we're not hanging out anymore is because I'm just not feeling well to venture outside after dark anymore. Now does that answer your question?" she lifted an eyebrow and looked down at the platinum blond-haired boy seated on the couch. "May I have my wrist back now, please?"

Draco let go of her wrist then, but he didn't let her walk away from him easily.

"So I take it that you two are officially over?" he mocked.

Mystyk stopped from taking another step and quickly whirled to glare down at the smirking face of Draco Malfoy, "Harry and I were _never_ together." she hissed through gritted teeth, inching her face closer to Draco's until their noses almost touched.

Draco didn't shrink back from her glare. Instead he grinned broadly and shrugged, "So explain to me _why_ you two kissed?"

She was completely taken aback.

"Y-you _saw_ us kiss?" she backed away from him slowly, staggering until the back of her knees hit the armrest of the couch nearest to where Draco sat.

"Of course. And what a nice place to choose to snog each other. On the first landing from the Entrance Hall. Really, I thought you two would've chosen some place _private_ to snog."

"It's not like the kiss was planned, Draco." Mystyk suddenly found herself _explaining_ to Draco the circumstances behind the kiss, "And what do you care? You're only after your so-called _good_ image."

"I care because..." he quickly shut his mouth before he said something else that would reveal his true feelings for her, but as usual he doesn't know about Mystyk's telepathic abilities hence she read his mind once again. _...I like you so much and seeing you snogging with Potter makes me want to commit murder. He's always been a thorn on my side since that first year I met him until now._

"Why is he a thorn on your side then for years? What has Harry done to you for you to loathe him this much, Draco?"

Draco was completely taken aback by her question.

"How'd you--why--how the hell did you know about Potter being a thorn on my side?"

Mystyk raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest and looked down at the dumbfounded Draco seated on the large couch.

"Haven't you figured it out already, Malfoy? _I_ can read minds." she answered haughtily, "And here I thought you were smart. Harry caught on the first time I read his mind." she wouldn't tell him that like her, Harry could also read minds, but so far it's only _her_ mind that he could read which is weird.

Draco's face quickly reddened. _So does that mean you know everything I've thought about? You can hear my thoughts and--_Draco quickly stopped his train of thoughts when he noticed Mystyk nodding. Damn, she's reading his mind right now as well!

"Will you stop that? You know you're intruding in someone's private thoughts, you know?"

"Private or not, once you start thinking I have no other choice but to _listen_ to what those little wheels turning in your head are saying."

"So is that why you're passing all your catch-up lessons because you're reading your tutor's mind, hm?" Draco sneered at her.

Mystyk was insulted at what he was initiating.

"How dare you accuse me of cheating?"

"Well, aren't you? I mean, you can read people's minds. Surely you can read all the professors' minds while they're writing the test."

"I _never_ use my gifts for cheating!" she answered indignantly.

"Relax, Rydel. I was just teasing you." Draco chuckled.

Mystyk nearly fell off the armrest of the couch. Draco Malfoy _teasing_ her? Since when did the all mighty Draco Malfoy teased others good-naturedly?

"Hard to believe, eh?" he chortled, "Well believe it, Rydel. But don't say a word about it to anybody else or I'll make sure you have a miserable stay here at Hogwarts." he threatened, the usual menacing gleam seen in his eyes were back.

Now _that's_ the Draco Malfoy Mystyk knows.

"Well, it's nice to know that this sudden change in you isn't a lasting one." she replied mockingly.

"So, care to tell me _what_ is really wrong with you?" he prodded once more, his eyes focused on her face, willing her to look at him and see his sincerity in the depths of his silver-gray eyes. _C'mon Mystyk, I am not just doing this to win you. I already know you like Potter more than you could ever like me. All I want is to just be your friend. Your confidant._ he didn't say those words out loud, but he knew there's no need for him to voice out. From the startled look on her face he knew she read his thoughts once again, and this time he doesn't really give a damn whether she found out what he's really thinking about.

Mystyk finally gave in to Draco's non-stop insistence. They stayed up really late talking about what has been going on between her and Harry, and she mentioned that dream she had of killing Harry under the insistence of somebody else who looks like Harry but he wasn't really the Harry she knows.

Draco heard her confession and offered her a shoulder to cry on.

She loves Harry.

Hell, she doesn't need to say the words out loud--and he doesn't have to be a mind-reader to know--that her attraction to Harry Potter is something above being friendly. Although it hurts him to find out the truth this way, a nagging inner voice wedged at the back of his head was telling him what to do next.

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**~*~**_ hmm...i'm not sure if this chapter made sense at all. it took me a couple of days before i could figure out what to write in this chapter. i want to show that Draco's not all bad. he's just a guy in love to the girl who loves his mortal nemesis. so, what do you guys think?_** ~*~**


	17. Sixteen Draco Confronts Harry

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN: _Draco Confronts Harry_**

After staying up late with Mystyk the night before, Draco formulated a plan that will alter everything he has worked very hard on since his first year here at Hogwarts.

He has to be Mr. Nice to a certain Gryffindor.

Draco knows he doesn't have to, but after hearing Mystyk talk about Harry the night before and how she really enjoyed his company, he knew without doubt that he has to do _something_ to get those two together! Mystyk told him about the dream she had the last time Hogwarts students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade for the weekend.

"It was just a dream, Mystyk." he insisted telling her for the umpteenth time after she relayed word-for-word what exactly happened in her dream.

"It isn't just a dream, Draco." she denied profusely. "Haven't you been listening to what I just told you? I'm a psychic, Draco. I can foresee the future. And mostly I can predict what will happen through my dreams."

He pulled a face that resembles a frown. "Don't tell me you believe that rubbish, Mystyk. That's insane! And _why_ will you kill Harry if you care for him so much?" he questioned.

"That's what I want to find out."

And that's the reason why he's waiting for Potter outside the Great Hall right now. He needs to talk to him, to explain to him what Mystyk just told him about that weird dream--premonition as she liked to call it--about the inevitable event that will change both their lives.

Finally he saw the dark, unruly hair of the boy he sought to speak to. He waited until it was just Potter, Weasley and the Mudblood, Granger, were alone before calling out to Harry from his hiding place.

Harry stopped walking as soon as he heard his name being whispered. He looked here and there in search of the voice's owner, but he couldn't find it.

"Harry, are you alright?" Ron asked when he noticed that his friend stopped walking.

"Did you hear that?" Harry whispered, his eyes scanning the place and his ears perked up and listening carefully to the invisible caller.

"Hear what?" Hermione frowned, sticking her ears as well and listened to whatever Harry was hearing.

"I don't hear anything." Ron shrugged, "C'mon guys, it's time we go back to our dormitory and get cracking on those assignments."

Hermione raised an eyebrow and looked bewildered at her other best friend, "Ronald Weasley, since _when_ did you get too antsy to get started on doing assignments?" she questioned with an authorative voice.

"Since I realized that I need to get good grades on my OWLs, that's when."

"Oh really, Ron, you _never_ gave a damn before." Hermione rolled her eyes heavenwards and strained her ears to listen to what Harry was listening for, then suddenly she heard somebody calling him hidden from the shadows of the stairs. "I heard it!" she exclaimed gleefully and grabbed Harry's hand to the direction where she heard the voice.

"_Hermione!_" Harry hissed when he was dragged towards the stairs, "Where are you taking me?" he demands irately.

"I'm taking you to where I think I heard the voice." she replied smugly and took out her wand, "_Lumos!_" she command and the tip of her wand lit-up, waving it back and forth into the dark corner of the stairs. "Hello? Anybody there?" she called, her eyes straining to see at least a figure of the person calling Harry.

"Yeah." Draco showed himself, alone to the trio's surprise, from his hiding place. His usual smirk in tact. "No need for you to use light, Granger."

"And why the hell shouldn't I?" she demanded heatedly.

"Because I think the Entrance Hall's already well lit for us, that's why." he mocked.

Hermione raised an eyebrow but did what he asked. She put out the light from the tip of her wand and stuffed it in her robe.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"I want to talk to you, Potter." Draco replied simply.

"Oh really?" Ron mocked, "Whatever the hell for?"

Draco shot him a piercing glare, making Ron cower beside Hermione in no time.

"I called Potter here in peace--I don't want to start a fight. But if you keep on pressing your luck, Weasley, I think I might just have to whoop your ass." he sneered menacingly at him.

"Oh shut up, Malfoy and get on with it!" Hermione shut him down with an irritated air about her, surprising Draco and Ron. She never usually stands up to Draco, nor does she even bother answering him back since she usually cowers away from him too, but today somehow she has mustered some sort of self-confidence to stand up against him. "What are you staring at? You called Harry to come here. Now that he's here might as well say your piece so we could go back to our dorms."

It took Draco a few seconds to pull himself together once again. He likes this Hermione standing before him. She has guts and a spine to match. A far cry from the Hermione Granger he has known during his first four years at Hogwarts.

"Well?" she prodded, looking _and_ sounding extremely bored at his stalling.

Draco cleared his throat and moved his gaze from the suddenly alluring Hermione Granger to settle it on the face of a confused Harry Potter.

"Look, I need to talk to you about Mystyk." he began.

"There's nothing going on between Mystyk and myself, Malfoy." Harry quickly denied.

"I know that, you git." Draco hissed, "She told me that you two are just friends who enjoyed hanging out together."

Harry didn't look the least bit surprised at his announcement. He already have a gut-feeling that Draco would do something like spy on him and Mystyk after seeing them together at the library.

"So? What do you want?" Harry sounded disinterested at whatever Draco has to say to him.

"I need to talk to you about what's been bothering Mystyk lately. And it has a whole lot to do with _you_, Potter." he said before Harry could even protest.

"What do you mean?" Harry and Ron asked in unison.

Draco and Hermione both rolled their eyes skywards and shook their heads. Leave it those two to speak up at the same time.

"We can't discuss it here. Too many people could hear us." Draco looked on either side of him to be certain that nobody else was watching. "Meet me by the lake later tonight and we'll talk then." he said before turning on his heel and headed back to the Slytherin dungeon.

"What does he mean?" Ron asked his best friend while his eyes were fixed on Draco's departing back.

"Please don't tell me you trust Malfoy, Harry. For all you know he could be trying to trap you." Hermione warned.

"Strangely enough, Hermione, I have this gut-feeling that for once Draco Malfoy isn't up to no good." Harry said as he too watched Draco's departing back.

~*~

Harry, Ron, and Hermione snuck out using the Invisibility Cloak later that night. The three of them made their way downstairs to the Entrance Hall and quietly opened the heavy doors. They carefully descended the stairs and once they were away from front steps of the school's main entrance they each made a mad dash towards the lake where Draco was already sitting perched on his broomstick waiting for them to appear.

"Finally you three made it!" he sneered, "I thought I'd have to freeze my behind waiting for you to show up."

"Serves you right to freeze your arse off, Draco." Hermione snorted as she shrugged out of the Invisibility Cloak. "Besides, you don't seem too surprised to find us with Harry."

"I know you two won't let your precious Potter to meet me alone. You don't trust me enough to take my word for it that all I want is to discuss with Harry what has been bothering one of my housemates." Draco let his silver-grey eyes travel up and down Hermione's neatly pressed robe. Somehow he seem to have overlooked the fact that Hermione Granger has changed considerably from an ugly-duckling back in their first year at Hogwarts to a pretty and petite beauty. He should have paid more attention to last year's Yule Ball when she escorted Viktor Krum.

"Ten points for Mr. Malfoy for being very intuitive." Hermione mocked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ron and Harry stood back and marveled at Hermione and Draco battling it on against each other. Honestly they have never seen _this_ side of Hermione before when it comes to dealing with Draco Malfoy. It is both impressive _and_ oddly scary.

"Why thank you Ms. Granger. Too bad your ten points wouldn't be beneficiary to Slytherin winning the House-Cup this year." Draco mocked back.

"As if your house will win the Cup this year." Hermione snorted.

"Why you--" Draco didn't get to finish what he has to say when Harry jumped between them.

"_Hey!_" Harry held up his hand to stop Draco and Hermione from going down each other's throats. "Will you two stop arguing like an old married couple?" he eyed his best friend and his mortal nemesis carefully, then he turned to face Draco, "Now that we're here, what is it that you want to tell me about?"

Draco and Hermione glared at each other over Harry's shoulder, neither one breaking contact until finally he has had enough and turned his attention to Harry.

"Mystyk had a premonition of her killing you, Potter." he dropped the bomb carelessly, grinning at the startled expression on both Ron and Hermione's face after they heard. Harry, on the other hand, didn't seem the least bit perturbed about the news.

"She saw it too?"

Three pairs of eyes stared at him in utter disbelief.

"You knew?" Draco's jaw almost fell. And here he thought he was going to be doing him a favor by telling him what has been bothering Mystyk the last few days and already he knew about it!

Harry met Draco's eyes, ignoring his question as he asked, "When did she have this premonition?"

"She said the day we all went to Hogsmeade. She went to take an afternoon snooze and ended up having a very disturbing dream." Draco answered.

"That weekend at Hogsmeade..." Hermione's voice trailed off as she remembered what happened that weekend at Hogsmeade when she accompanied Harry to buy his Christmas present for Mystyk. "_Harry!_ Your scar burned that day too, didn't it?" she clutched her best friend's arm and yanked it, "Isn't that a coincidence or what?"

"A coincidence indeed." Harry muttered.

So it wasn't only _him_ who saw Mystyk killing him. _She_ saw it too.

But how? And why?

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**~*~**_ gosh, this chappie got a bit longer than i expected! anyway, i've decided to open up some certain possibilities of a certain attraction between 2 more Hogwarts students--and i kinda enjoyed writing about Draco & Hermione snapping at each other. it's very un-Hermione and un-Draco like for the two of them to get on to some head-to-head combat with each other. as always i'll be looking forward to read your reviews. and to those who have reviewed my first few chapters, thank you all so much! i do hope you enjoy reading the rest of the fic...i am doing my best to unravel as much as i can and try and finish this fic before it gets too long, but i seem to be enjoying writing it too much (either that OR i am suffering from some writer's block) to want to end it so soon._** ~*~**


	18. Seventeen Mystyk's Premonition

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: _Mystyk's Premonition_**

Word of what Draco and Harry conversation reached Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape immediately. They noticed that Harry and Mystyk stopped meeting every night, but that didn't stop them from keeping an eye on Harry and Mystyk.

"Did you hear, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked worriedly as soon as she entered the Headmaster's circular office.

"We all heard, Professor." Professor Snape replied from one corner of the room.

Minserva McGonagall spun around and faced the head of Slytherin house.

"Who else knows?" she questioned.

"Just the teachers and staff for now, Minerva." Professor Dumbledore answered.

"But words travel fast. Remember, _this_ is Hogwarts. No secret will be kept hidden for long." she reminded them.

"We know that. That's why we're doing our best to keep the lid tight on on this one." Professor Snape got up from his chair and crossed the room to stand beside the head of Gryffindor house, "I've heard talks over the summer when I joined Lord Voldemort and his group. He is getting restless. He wants to extract revenge on Potter as soon as possible." he explained uneasily.

"But _why_ would Ms. Rydel have a vision of her killing Harry Potter?" Professor McGonagall questioned.

Dumbledore and Snape exchanged knowing glances. With a nod from Dumbledore, Snape excused himself from them and left without saying a word.

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**~*~**_ a short chapter indeed, but i just want to build up the suspense for you readers out there. i am doing my best to upload as much as i can in one day so that you won't have to wait a day or so to read what happens next, and after writing the previews chapter, ideas for the next chapters starts bombarding me. also i'd like to take this moment to let you people know that i have another HP fic (my second attempt) posted here. it's called "The Three Strangers" and it's my first attempt at writing a humor story. so please check it out as well, thanks & as usual, reviews, reviews, reviews! i love reading 'em!_** ~*~**


	19. Eighteen Gertude Wiles

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: _Gertude Wiles_**

Mystyk didn't know why she was asked by Professor Dumbledore to come to his office Sunday afternoon. As far as she knows her weekends are free like the rest of the students at Hogwarts.

She saw her house head, Professor Snape, waiting for her outside the Headmaster's office. Somehow she couldn't read his expression, and when she tried to read his mind, she found out she couldn't read his train of thoughts.

"Good afternoon Professor." she greeted when she reached Snape. "I'm here to see Professor Dumbledore." she informed him in case he didn't know the reason why she's here.

"I know. He asked me to wait for you, Rydel." he replied curtly.

Mystyk's eyebrow rose. Something is wrong. She can sense it, but she just doesn't know _what_ it is that is wrong. She stood beside her house head and waited until the gargoyle moved to let both herself and Professor Snape enter the Headmaster's office.

"Wait here." Snape instructed and left her alone for a few minutes.

Mystyk took advantage of this and took a look around the Headmaster's office. She remembered Harry mentioning Fawkes the phoenix, Dumbledore's pet. She hasn't seen a live phoenix yet and since most of her and Professor Dumbledore's study time are spent in an empty classroom somewhere in the school, she has never been in his office since that first night Hagrid picked her up from her aunt uncle's house. Even on her first night she didn't notice Fawkes anywhere.

"Ms. Rydel?"

Mystyk jumped at the sound of the Headmaster's voice behind her. She turned around slowly, a shy smile forming on her lips.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I didn't mean to snoop."

Professor Dumbledore smiled, "It's quite alright. Most of my visitors are quite intrigued to see my office."

"Uhm...well, H-Harry mentioned your pet Fawkes to me and I just wanted to see him." she shrugged, "But I guess he's flown elsewhere today."

"You're quite right. Fawkes decided to take a stroll and flew into my sleeping quarters. But I'm sure he'll be back any minute now." Dumbledore told her.

"Oh. Well, uhm, you wished to see me, Professor?"

"Yes, Ms. Rydel. Please, have a sit." he pointed her to one of the two chairs placed facing his large table. "I need to discuss something very important with you."

"Does it have anything to do with my lessons?" she asked worriedly, "I know lately I have been doing poorly on some of my lessons, but I have a good reason for not paying too much attention--"

Professor Dumbledore raised his hand to silence her. Smiling he nodded his understanding and said, "I know what has been bothering you lately, Mystyk. And that's the reason why I called you to my office today."

Mystyk looked surprised. "Y-you do?" she stammered.

"Yes." he looked over her shoulder at someone standing there. With a curt nod he heard somebody being ushered into the room. "Mystyk, may I present to you your guardian, Gertude Wiles."

Mystyk's eyes nearly bulged out of her sockets at the mention of her guardian. She shot out of her chair and spun around, coming face-to-face with the old hag who has sent her almost all over Europe. She doesn't know what her guardian is doing here in school. What does Gertude Wiles have to do with what's been bothering her lately? She cast a questioning glance over her shoulder at the Headmaster, pleading with him to bring some light into the matter of her guardian's presence at Hogwarts.

Professor Dumbledore pushed himself off his chair and extended his hand to the newcomer, "Nice of you to make it, Gertude."

Gertude Wiles reached out one bony hand and shook hands with the headmaster.

"I couldn't possibly refuse Severus when he appeared outside my doorstep, Headmaster." she replied with her chin held high.

Mystyk had a distinct feeling that her guardian is very well acquainted with the headmaster and the teachers at Hogwarts.

"Please, have a seat." he indicated the chair behind Gertude and turned back to Mystyk. He motioned for her to sit down as well before sitting himself. He rested his arms on top of his desk, lacing his fingers together. His eyes watching each woman carefully. "I'm sure you are both wondering _why_ you are called in to my office on such short notice. And don't worry, your questions will soon be answered. But first, Gertude, I think it's high time Mystyk learn the truth about her past--and about her parents." Dumbledore gave Gertude Wiles a pointed glare, silently telling the woman that _he_ knows the truth. Any alterations to what she will tell her young charge will be dealt with accordingly.

Suddenly Mystyk felt very apprehensive. She doesn't like this. She doesn't like _any_ of this at all! Gertude never told her about her parents, except that they died a long time ago due to some accident or other, but she never really talked much about it. Mystyk tried asking her once or twice about her parents' death from years before, but each time she did so Gertude became testy with her so she quit asking all together. She shot an alarmed glance at the Headmaster then back at Gertude then back to Dumbledore.

"What-what do you mean, Professor?" she asked in alarm, but it was Gertude who answered her.

"I _am_ your mother, Mystyk." Gertude Wiles announced, shocking the young woman seated beside her.

Mystyk shot the woman she grew-up knowing as her guardian a look of utter disbelief. "_What?_"

"You are my daughter, Mystyk. My own flesh and blood. And...and the heir of the feared Lord Voldemort."

_Voldemort._ The name of the man who wanted Harry dead. He's her _father?_ She looked back at Gertude Wiles, the old hag with rotting teeth and greasy hair. She couldn't believe that _she_ is her mother. She looked so old!

"H-_how_ could you be my mother?" she questioned, "You're at least over seventy years old! You couldn't have possibly had me when you're in your late fifties or early sixties!" she exclaimed, not wanting to believe what she heard.

Gertude looked at Dumbledore, asking him permission for something and before Mystyk could voice out her question the woman seated beside her whipped out a wand from the insides of her rag of robe and pointed it at herself, muttering a spell or incantation that soon transformed her from an old, ugly woman to a beautiful young woman with long, shiny jet-black hair similar to Mystyk's. Her eyes too changed color from metallic gray to a bright violet shade similar to the young woman seated before her.

"Oh my God..." Mystyk gasped, covering her mouth with both her hands. She nearly fell off her chair as she watched the woman before her transform into somebody else much younger. She looked like she's in her mid-thirties.

"Your mother used an aging spell on herself when she ran away and took you with her, Mystyk." Dumbledore explained to an awestruck Mystyk. "She used the aging spell as a cover to hide you and herself from Lord Voldemort's men--and from Voldemort himself."

Once her transformation was complete, a now younger Gertude Wiles faced her daughter, smiling shyly and she picked up from where Professor Dumbledore started.

"I was a young and foolish witch back in the days of Voldemort's reign, Mystyk. I fell for him because of the power he promised he will have--and the lure of power blinded me from everything else. Then the night he murdered Harry Potter's parents I finally knocked some sense into myself. The man I believe to love wholeheartedly just murdered _my_ best friend and her husband, and he was going to kill Lily and James's offspring too. I got scared and panicked. You were just a year old the night killed James and Lily Potter. I didn't want to be the wife of the man who killed my best friend and her family. So I ran. I went in hiding from everybody, casting an aging spell on myself so that my looks would be altered. Every month I cast a different disguise on myself. I figured that nobody would dare look for me once I disguised myself as an old woman raising an _orphaned_ child." she paused and dabbed the tears that started falling in the middle of her story.

Mystyk sat motionless where she was, her mouth hanging open as she stared at the woman she never knew was her mother until now.

"So...so you kept up the pretense of not knowing _how_ my parents died all these years?"

"I'm sorry, love. It's the only way I could protect both you and myself. I know that Voldemort didn't succeed in killing young Harry Potter, and I also know that he didn't die as well. I got scared for both _our_ safety. I know that Voldemort's alive somewhere and he will use every means to get to Harry Potter."

"And--and by 'every means' you're referring to _me?_" Mystyk looked confused, "But he doesn't know where I am!"

"No. But his blood runs in your veins. He can find you, Mystyk. Don't underestimate him."

"He knows that I'm at Hogwarts now, doesn't he? He knows that I'll be around Harry, doesn't he? Is that why you kept me from replying to the Hogwarts letter I received when I was eleven? You _know_ that I'll be mingling with Harry once I start attending school here." she accused.

"Yes." Gertude nodded, "And I did my damnedest to keep you _away_ from here and from Harry. But I guess I didn't try hard enough." she cast an annoyed glare at Dumbledore's way, "You know _why_ I went into hiding, Professor, and yet you managed to drag my daughter to attend school here. Why?"

Professor Dumbledore didn't look the slightest bit upset, he sat back in his chair and stared at the beautiful young woman before him, "You can't deny Mystyk of her education, Gertude. After all she _is_ a witch. She needs to be taught about the ways of the witches and wizards."

"And risk her life as well as Harry Potter's life in the process?" she accused.

"I did expect that Voldemort will soon realize that his daughter is here." he nodded.

"Well he knows. He sent a message loud and clear through Mystyk in her sleep. I kept my daughter far away from this place for five damn years because I _know_ what will happen once she starts attending the same school James and Lily Potter's son attends!"

"But it's up to Mystyk to fight off her father's advances to lure her to do his every bidding, Gertude." Dumbledore replied calmly.

"Even so! You just gave Voldemort plenty of ammunition to use."

"Gertude, Professor, _what_ are you two talking about?" Mystyk cut in between her mother and headmaster's shouting fest.

Gertude tore her angry violet eyes at Dumbledore and settled it on her daughter's confused face.

"Lord Voldemort's going to use _you_ to kill Harry Potter, love, just like what your premonition showed you."

= = = = = = = = = = = =

**~*~**_ OMG!!! Mystyk Rydel's secret has been revealed. what do you guys think? i tried to explain as much as i can, but it's already getting late and i need to catch a few Z's since i have to go to work early tomorrow. please review & let me know what you think, thanks!_** ~*~**


	20. Nineteen Harry & Mystyk

**CHAPTER NINETEEN: _Harry & Mystyk_**

Harry couldn't hide his surprise when he read Mystyk's mind asking him to meet her at their usual spot later that evening. He tried asking her what's wrong, but Mystyk wouldn't say. She just told him to meet her at their spot by the lake and that was that.

"Why do you think she wants to see you tonight?" Hermione mused.

"Do you think she's trapping you? Do you reckon she'l do you in this time?" Ron asked worriedly.

Harry and Hermione shot him an annoyed look. He has been obsessing about Mystyk killing Harry at any given chance since Draco told them of Mystyk's premonition. Now he wouldn't shut-up about it.

"Ron, Mystyk is _not_ going to kill me. When will you get that through your thick skull, huh?" Harry assured him for the umpteenth time. "She's not that kind of person."

"Maybe when she's asleep she's not." Ron mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Oh no wait, it was in her _dream_ that she do you in so either way she's unsafe." he added sardonically as an after thought.

"Pay no attention to him, Harry. He's just being himself again, that's all." Hermione said before Harry could open his mouth to say something back at Ron.

Harry expelled an exasperated sigh. Hermione's right. Ron could be thick headed sometimes. There is no point in him trying to explain the situation to Ron because he wouldn't give a damn either way.

"So, do you want Ron and I to come with you tonight?" Hermione offered.

"No, I think I will be okay. Besides, Mystyk sounds really upset. She wouldn't want to pour her heart out in front of a two complete strangers." he shrugged.

"Are you sure? Hermione and I could stand guard and...watch...oh, all right!" Ron conceded when Harry stared at him pointedly, warning him not to even finish the thought he's thinking. "I'll ease-up on my theory that Mystyk will do you in." Ron raised his hands in frustration, "But I still don't trust her completely." he reminded his two best friends sternly.

~*~

Mystyk jumped off her broomstick hovering a few feet above the ground when she heard approaching footsteps. She turned to the direction of the footsteps and broke into a run when she recognized the figure in the dark.

"_Harry!_" she exclaimed breathlessly and flung herself to him.

Harry staggered backwards a bit, he didn't expect Mystyk to come flying in to his arms like this after their last encounter. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and held her close. Mystyk sagged against him and burst into tears as soon as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hush now, it's okay." he ran his hand gently up and down her back, holding the crying Mystyk in his embrace. They remained as they were for the next little while. Harry let Mystyk cry to her heart's desire. He certainly know the need to shed some tears at times when the going has become very tough for someone to bear.

~*~

"So your guardian is your mother who used an aging spell to hide you and herself from your father?" Harry asked later on after Mystyk told him the reason why she asked for them to meet tonight. They were seated against one of the trees lined up by the lake. They thawed the snow around it and sat down huddled together in Harry's Invisibility Cloak.

Mystyk nodded, her cheek scraping Harry's shoulder.

"And this has upset you because your mother lied to you all these years?"

"That...and more."

"What do you mean?" he frowned, looking down at her dark head resting on his shoulder, "Shouldn't you be at least happy that all these years you have your mother to watch over you?"

"In a way I _am_ happy that I am not really an orphan, but..." her voice trailed off. She couldn't continue. She couldn't possibly tell Harry everything Gertude Wiles and Professor Dumbledore told her about her paternity. "It's just so unfair."

"What is unfair, Mystyk? C'mon, you're not making any sense at all." Harry put his arm around her shoulders under the cloak, rubbing it gently up and down her arm, urging her to tell him what is really bothering her.

Mystyk pushed herself away from his embrace and looked at the face of the charming boy she has learned to care for in the few weeks that she have known him.

"Harry I don't want to hurt you. I swear that's the last thing I wanted to do to you." she promised.

"Mystyk, you're not going to hurt me."

"Oh yes I will, Harry, yes I will." she nodded, cupping his cheek.

"No, you're not. Mystyk, what are you--" Harry didn't get to finish what he was about to say. Mystyk swoop her head down and captured his lips for a kiss so unexpected it rendered him shocked for a few seconds.

It has been weeks since they first kissed, and since that first time they never kissed each other anymore. Slowly he parted his lips and trailed his tongue along her lips, parting them gently before sliding his tongue inside her mouth and mating with her tongue. 

Mystyk let out a surprised gasp when she felt Harry's tongue touched hers.

Harry took advantage of her momentary stillness and deepen the kiss, reaching up his hands to cup her face, pulling her closer to him until Mystyk lay sprawled against his chest, their mouths locked together in a kiss that consumed them both of everything they have to live for.

~*~

"They really do care for each other, don't the Professor?" Gertude Wiles asked as she looked out of the window, watching her daughter and Harry Potter make out.

Professor Dumbledore took a deep breath and turned his back to the window. "Yes, Gertude. They have grown somewhat _closer_ to one another in the few weeks they have been cavorting together after dark." he nodded.

Gertude turned her back to the window and watched the back of the man who has helped her daughter and herself escape the clutches of Voldemort all those years ago.

"They can't be together. They just can't or else they would only hurt one another." Gertude shook her mop of shiny jet-black hair.

"I know. But tell me, could you really tell Fate not to interfere when Harry and Mystyk's future has already been mapped for them?" Dumbledore questioned, looking over his shoulder at the petite woman in her mid-thirties.

"This is wrong. They shouldn't even _be_ destined together! Both their lives are in grave peril." she protested.

"And yet you've seen proof of how much they care for one another." Dumeblefore turned to face her fully and gestured towards the window, indicating the couple huddled together by the Invisibility Cloak by the lake.

"It's wrong, Albus Dumbledore."

With a heavy sigh, Dumbledore held the eyes of the young woman who has been through enough and has seen enough death to last her a lifetime.

"I know, Gertude, I know. But have a little faith in your daughter. In the end it is all up to Mystyk to choose between what's right and what's wrong. We can't make that decision for her."

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

**~*~**_ oooh, Harry & Mystyk making out under the Invisibility Cloak. did they or didn't they go all the way? well...hehehe, it's for me to know and you guys to find out. hope you enjoyed this chappie. keep those reviews coming & thank you all once again for those of you who took some time to read my fic. i really appreciate it._** ~*~**


	21. Twenty Doomsday

**~*~**_ sorry for the delayed update. seriously, after writing the previous chapter i seem to have a hard time thinking of how else to proceed with this story. i already have the ending envisioned in my head, but the only problem is HOW to put it to words. thank you all so much for sending in your reviews. i hope you like this chapter/fic. i have about 3 more ideas for an HP fanfic in mind and they are all currently in the works. it'll probably be a sequel to this one so you all just watch out ff.net for when i will post my next HP fanfic following this one. again i appreciate all your reviews and hopefully you like this chapter. i'll be looking forward to reading your reviews as always! _**~*~**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

**CHAPTER TWENTY: _Doomsday_**

Mystyk's senses were always on alert since the night she and Harry spent together. She never told him the truth about her father nor does she have the heart to share that news with him. Gertude remained at Hogwarts as a special gueast of Professor Dumbledore, she also sits in with Mystyk during her lessons--which are all fifth year levels now--and helped her understand more of her heritage.

"Will you just stop with this nonsense about my father?" Mystyk exclaimed irately after Gertude tried for the umpteenth time to explain to her daughter the circumstances she has put herself and Harry as well by becoming more than just good friends with him. "I will _not_ be Voldemort's puppet!" she insisted.

"Mystyk, listen to me. Whether you deny it or not, you've seen it for yourself in your premonition. Your father's power is much stronger than yours--he can bend you to do his every bidding!" Gertude explained as best as she could without losing her patience.

"I don't care, Gertude!" Mystyk snapped, her violet eyes ablaze with anger and stark stubbornness. "I will _not_ hurt Harry Potter, and no matter what this damn Voldemort does, there's no way he can bend _me_ to do his every damn bidding!"

"But Mystyk--"

"I _love_ Harry, Gertude." Mystyk confessed, her once angry violet eyes soon started to pool with unshed tears she has been keeping to herself since that night she found out the truth about her parents. "I love him so much and there's no way _I_ will be used as pawn to kill the boy I love!"

~*~

Harry's scar starts burning his forehead once again. It has been doing that this past few days, but unlike the previous days, today it seem to burn his skin even more so. He tried to hide his discomfort from his friends, but he knows that Hermione would soon notice him always scratching his forehead or pressing against his scar.

"Harry, I think you should go see Dumbledore about your scar." she reminded him en route to their next class for the day.

"It's alright, Hermione. It's just hurting a bit, that's all." he shrugged.

"But remember the last time it hurt? Mystyk had a premonition." she reminded him.

"Yeah, so? This time it's nothing."

"Harry..." her best friend could be really stubborn most of the time, but she still love him anyway. She worries her pretty little head off over Harry and Ron that sometimes that's all she could think about.

"Relax, Hermione. I'm good." he assured her.

But she didn't take his words for it. "Just be extra more careful, Harry. Remember, your scar sometimes acts as your talisman or something. It warns you off great danger from You-Know-Who."

Don't he know it? Of course Harry's been thinking the exact same thing Hermione just pointed out. Deep in the pit of his stomach he has a feeling that his scar is warning him of impending danger. But how? Nobody has heard from Voldemort in almost a year since he has risen again.

Again his scar burned on his forehead. He decided to just skip this next class, but Potions is their next class. He couldn't possibly skip it or else Snape will skin him alive! But his scar is burning and it's not doing him any good at all. It's making it hard for him to concentrate--even the simple task of walking through the door into their classroom proved to be a tad bit too much for him to do.

Hermione gasped when Harry suddenly staggered backwards, his hand clutching his forehead.

He was in great pain.

"Ron, I'm taking Harry to the hospital wing." she grabbed her other best friend's arm and stopped him from going into their Potions class, "If Snape asks, tell him where Harry and I are. If he doesn't approve, well tough for him! Harry's in pain and he needs to see Madam Pomfrey if not Dumbledore."

"Alright. I'll make excuses for you--"

"Don't make excuses. Just tell Snape the truth. Besides, Harry's scar is giving him trouble as it is. It'll be easier if somebody help him get to the hospital wing."

"Why don't I take him there myself?" Ron offered, "You can't honestly tell me you can support his entire weight!"

"Ronald Weasley, please don't underestimate my tiny frame. Now do as I say and go in there before Snape decides to give you detention for being late."

"Alright." Ron agreed albeit reluctantly. "You hang in there, buddy." he patted Harry's shoulder before racing off inside the dungeon room of their Potions class.

~*~

Some unknown force engulfed Mystyk and suddenly she felt chilly all over. She was in the middle of her Arithmacy lesson with her mother when her attention was pulled from the lesson at hand to something else. She felt her whole body responding to some unseen and unheard calling, lulling her and urging her to leave the room at once and search for Harry who was currently somewhere amidst the large castle school.

"Mystyk?" Gertude looked up from the book she was reading to her daughter, "Where are you going?" she called out after her, but Mystyk was deaf to the rest of the world except for that nagging calling propelling her to search the school grounds for Harry Potter.

"_Mystyk!_" Gertude called out once more, but to no avail. "Oh my God..." she gasped and hastily got up from her seat and searched for Professor Dumbledore.

The time has come and both Mystyk _and _Harry are in grave danger once her daughter finds the boy who lived.

~*~

"C'mon Harry, only a few more steps and we're nearing the hospital wing." Hermione urged, holding her best friend against her side. Somehow Harry managed to lean his entire weight against her as they hurried towards the hospital wing. "Harry, you're too heavy you know that right?"

"Hermione, my scar hurts like hell." he hissed, pressing harder on his thunderbolt scar.

"I know, but you're not making matters..." Hermione's voice dropped when she saw Mystyk standing before them, blocking their way to the hospital wing. "Oh, hello there Mystyk. Good thing you're here. Harry's starting to become very difficult and I don't think I'll be able to support his weight anymore." she explained, wrapping both her arms around her best friend's waist, "Would you mind helping me carry him to the hospital wing?"

Mystyk's smile slowly curled on the corners of her lips. Hermione felt a cold chill over her. Something is oddly different with Mystyk today. She never curled her lips like that when she smiles. In fact whenever she smiles she brings sunshine to those who receives it but today it's different. Hermione didn't see sunshine radiate from her. In fact all she saw was complete utter darkness.

"Sure Hermione. I'll help you with Harry." Mystyk offered and crossed the space between them. She took hold of Harry's other arm and looped it over her shoulders, letting him lean his entire weight against him and completely relieving Hermione off her burden.

Hermione gasped. Mystyk isn't this strong. Surely Harry is heavy enough--no matter how think he looked--for her to have a hard time carrying him.

"Hospital wing you said?" Mystyk questioned, peering at Hermione.

"Yes." she nodded and led the way to the hospital wing.

"I'll take care of it from here, Hermione. I think you better get back to your class right now before your professor gives you detention." Mystyk announced when they were a mere few feet away from the hospital wing doors.

"No, I'll make sure Harry gets settled. Besides, I'm already excused from Potions." she lied. Somehow she gave a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn't trust Mystyk just right now.

"Even so. I have a free afternoon today. I can watch over Harry for you." Mystyk insisted.

"No, that's alright. I'm more concerned about Harry right now to leave him like this." Hermione insisted back. There's no way she's going to leave her best friend in the hands of a completely different Mystyk! No matter how close Harry and Mystyk has become, still, Hermione knew that this Mystyk helping her isn't the same Mystyk whom she first met after the Halloween fiasco.

"But I insist, Hermione. C'mon, the hospital wing isn't too far now. Run along back to Potions. I'll take care of Harry."

Hermione wanted to protest that she's Harry's best friend and her friend's health comes first above everything else. Her mark in Potions could suffer for all she care. She can always make up for it later, but for now she wants to know that Harry's safe. But the look Mystyk gave her told Hermione otherwise. She would lose this battle and so against her will she let go of Harry's waist, whispering to her best friend that she will see him later and walked away from them.

She was almost near her Potions class when from the corner of her eye she noticed a figure running at break-neck speed. She stopped and followed the running student and gasped when she saw _Mystyk_ running towards the hospital wing. She blinked back a couple of times to be certain her eyes weren't playing tricks on her and focused it once more on the running back of Mystyk Rydel.

_Oh no!_ she groaned and ran back to the hospital wing. She should've trusted her gut-feeling and _stayed_ with Harry.

~*~

_Harry? Harry?!_ Mystyk called out as she ran as fast as she could towards the hospital wing where her gut-instinct told her Harry was at. _Harry please answer me! Harry, where are you?!_

_Mystyk?_ Harry's thought sounded confused, _What do you mean where am I? You're right here with me._

_What?!_ Mystyk's alarm was evident. It showed on her face as she ran faster still. _Harry, whomever that Mystyk is that is with you, she is _not_ me!_ she insisted.

_What? Don't be ridiculous, Mystyk. You're standing here with me taking me to the hospital wing. Now let's quit conversing telepathically and just talk--_

_ I'm telling you Harry, that is not me! I'm just heading towards where you are._ she warned him, _Oh God, Harry! Get away from whomever you're with! You're in danger!_ she warned.

_What nonsense are you...oh shit!_ then Harry's thoughts went blank.

"Oh God!" Mystyk gasped, "_Harry!_"

~*~

Harry staggered backwards from Mystyk--or the person who _looked_ like Mystyk--as soon as she started changing.

"Who-who are..." Harry didn't finish his question for the face of the imposter was soon revealed. "_You!_" he gasped accusingly.

"Yes, me." Lord Voldemort chuckled. "Really, Harry Potter, you and your Mudblood fried are very trusting people." he mocked, advancing towards Harry.

"Too trusting? _Ha!_ Hermione's not too trusting of a person. I know she sensed something isn't right."

"Oh really? The pray tell, _why_ did she leave you with _me_ if she is not a gullible, trusting Mudblood?" Lord Voldemort challenged.

"You're wrong, you spineless piece of a shit!" came Hermione's angry voice from behind the dark lord.

"_Hermione, watch out!_" Harry called out in alarm when he saw Voldemort turned to face his best friend with his wand ready to fire.

Hermione's reflexes were quick and she ducked away before the blast from the tip of the dark lord's wand hit her. She rolled to her side near where Harry was and scampered towards his side, panting as she said, "I knew something fishy was going on when Mystyk kept on insisting she take you alone to the hospital wing. But she proved to be too stubborn like you so I gave in and left you with her." she explained, "But on my way back to Potions I saw _another_ Mystyk running towards here."

"She's the real Mystyk." Harry nodded.

"Bingo." Hermione caught Voldemort's movement from the corner of her eye and yanked Harry away from Voldemort's aim, blasting the wall behind them with his wand.

"Blasted brats!" Lord Voldemort yelled, "You two won't get away from me that easily. Soon I'll have my revenge, Potter, and that Mudblood friend of yours will be history once I'm done with you!" he threatened.

"Think again, Voldemort." the real Mystyk's voice boomed over the secluded area near the hospital wing where Harry and Hermione were cornered by the dark lord.

Voldemort slowly turned to face the newcomer, his face breaking into a proud paternal smile as he looked at the daughter he hadn't seen in almost fifteen years.

"I'm glad you can join us, Mystyk." he said proudly, "Come and help me rid this world of the likes of Potter and his Mudblood friend. And we shall rue the day Harry Potter is gone, daughter."

"_Daughter?_" Harry and Hermione echoed, looking at each other in stunned disbelief before their gazes returned back to the raven haired girl whose violet green eyes stormy at best with unbridled anger towards the man who just addressed her as his daughter.

"I am _not_ your daughter, Voldemort." Mystyk hissed through gritted teeth, "You relinquished that right the night you murdered my mother's best friend."

"I see Gertude told you everything you needed to know. How is our dear old Gertude by the way?" he asked mockingly.

"She's still alive, but striving too hard to convince me of what is to come." Mystyk gave a careless shrug.

"Ah, I see..." Lord Voldemort mused, "You have foreseen the future, have you not?" he prodded.

"I have seen enough to know that I will _not_ fall prey to my premonition."

"A tough witch." Lord Voldemort spat in disgust, "You are so much like your mother. Very stubborn. But you _will_ follow my every bidding."

"_Never!_" Mystyk cried in outrage and whipped out her wand from her robe, aiming it at the man who has sired her and yet never really loved her. Remembering a spell she never learned before, she chanted it out and watched as a blinding white light surged from the tip of her wand and aimed straight towards the man she loathed with a passion.

"_No!_" Lord Voldemort's cry echoed throughout the entire school, sending students and teachers alike to scramble out of their classrooms and checked out the cause of the sudden interruption.

Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Gertude Wiles skidded to a full stop behind Mystyk when she saw the young witch cast an age-old spell of death to her father.

Voldemort exploded like fine wisps of dusts right before their very eyes, calling out the name of the daughter who has betrayed him.

Mystyk collapsed on her knees as soon as she performed the spell, her wand falling limply from her hand.

"_Mystyk!_" Gertude called out in alarm and ran towards her daughter, grasping Mystyk's shoulder and letting the girl lean against her. "Oh my dear, dear child." she cooed, rubbing her arms up and down Mystyk's arm.

Professor Dumbledore knelt down beside Mystyk and touched the girl's forehead. He met Gertude's gaze and nodded to her. Silently he conveyed her daughter will be alright, just a tad bit exhausted after having performed such powerful curse on a such powerful wizard. He then joined Professor McGonagall who was tending Harry and Hermione.

Professor Snape, on the other hand, remained rooted where he stood. The mark on his arm still shining brightly. Mystyk didn't kill him. The dark lord merely faked his own death to escape--or attack again when least expected? He kept his eyes opened and stared at the ashes that belonged to the dark lord. It started swirling about, a sign that he was going to attack.

Snape's gaze moved from the exhausted Mystyk cradled in her mother's arms to Harry who was being helped on his feet by Professor McGonagall. Voldemort's ash was quickly transforming back to his human form. He has found a way to cheat the spell Mystyk cast on him.

"_He's still alive!_" Professor Snape called out in alarm as soon as Voldemort's body starts to appear.

~*~

TO BE CONTINUED


	22. Twenty One Unselfish Sacrifice

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: _Unselfish Sacrifice_**

Everything happened in a flash.

Snape's cry of alarm alerted everyone present, but Voldemort was rapidly turning back to his human form, surprising Dumbledore, McGonagall and Gertude in the process who are all too aware that _Muerte Maldición_ is an old, deadly curse that only a selected few are blessed with the knowledge of _how_ to use.

"Foolish girl!" Voldemort snorted, glaring at the young girl cradled in Gertude Wiles's arms, "Don't think I didn't anticipate you turning against me with the one spell I taught you how to use a long time ago."

"_What?_" Gertude gasped, "How--how could you?"

Voldemort glared at the one who bore him a useless heiress, "I implanted the knowledge of the curse in her subconscious knowing that one day she will be a good ally to me, but I was wrong." he turned his gaze from the woman who bore him a child to the young girl glaring back at him, "You bore me a spineless daughter who brings shame to my very name!"

"But how could you have survived the _Muerte Maldición?_" Gertude questioned.

"Simple, my dearest Gertude. I also anticipated Mystyk's retaliation and prepared myself for a counter attack from her. I'm glad I took extra precaution and now I am ready to destroy that worthless daughter you bore me, but not after she witnessed the death of the famous Harry Potter who has been a thorn on my side since the day he lived and I disintegrated into nothing but a parasite for thirteen years."

"You deserved what you got." Gertude said haughtily, cradling her daughter in her arms.

"We'll see about that, woman." Voldemort snorted, "Once I'm done with Potter and Mystyk, _you_ will be next." he threatened and turned his attention to the boy with unruly dark hair and round specs. "Now Harry Potter, I believe it's time for you to die." he raised his wand and aimed it at the boy.

Everything happened in slow motion. Voldemort aimed his wand at Harry who was trapped by the wall beside him. He started chanting out the spell that will end Harry's life, but with a renewed surge of energy Mystyk broke away from her mother's embrace and ran in line of Voldemort's aim, shielding Harry from his impending death and taking the brunt of her father's deadly curse.

"_Mystyk!_" Harry called out and started to make a run for her, but it was only a split second later before he watched, in horror, as the girl he loved with all his heart burst into tiny particles before him. Their gazes on briefly met and he knew, or rather he _read_ her last parting thoughts.

_I love you with all my heart, Harry Potter. I'll be with you always and forever..._

"_No!_" he yelled and reached for his wand, aimed it at the man who has made his life a living hell from the day his parents were murdered. "You'll pay for that!" he threatened and started a chant of an unknown curse, a spell never performed by any wizard of Harry's caliber, that Voldemort wasn't prepared for.

"_Reclusión Perpua Eternidad!_"

Everyone watched in stunned silence as Harry held on to his wand in both hands, aimed it at the dark lord whose reaction was delayed due to the unexpected move Harry took. His eyes widen as the strong, white beam coming from the tip of Harry's wand that's aimed straight at him. He wasn't prepared for this curse to be used against him. Only the darkest of all wizards would know _Reclusión Perpua Eternidad_.

For the last time Harry Potter has put an end to the man who has caused him nothing but grief. Killing Mystyk was the final straw where in which Harry drew the courage to step up to the man and finish him once and for all.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

**~*~** hi folks! just thought i'd give you some idea what the heck those two Latin phrases i used here. i know that the _Avada Kedavra_ was the deadliest curse that instantly kills people when used, but since this is my fic, i think i earned the right to change everything and add a few things. now i just looked through my trusty dictionary and decided to put some words together to come up with some of what i think would be cool, "very old" curses that are rarely used and known to other witches and wizards:

**Muerte Maldicón ** = _death curse_

**Reclusión Perpua Eternidad ** = _life imprisonment eternity_

i know this last curse kind makes no sense, but just keep on reading the next chapter where all will be explained. c'mon! it's hard to think of curses to use and in Spanish/Latin no less! so cut me off some slack and just leave your mark in the review area to let me know what you think... **~*~**


	23. Twenty Two Dreary Christmas

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: _Dreary Christmas_**

Sitting alone in the Gryffindor Common Room early Christmas morning, Harry clutched in his hand the unwrapped gift he purchased at Hogsmeade a few weeks ago. His green eyes fixed on the leaping fire from the fireplace, but amidst the flames he could only envision the picture of the girl who has showed him a great deal more.

Mystyk Rydel.

He couldn't believe it had been three weeks to the day since she died.

She died because of him. She died _for_ him. Just like how his mother died in the hands of Voldemort, the same man who took Mystyk's life.

If it hadn't been for Mystyk's intervention he would have been toast for sure. But instead of feeling glad that he was alive, all he could feel was remorse and guilt. Another innocent died _because_ of him. He still haven't recovered much from Cedric Diggory's death the previews year and now another Hogwarts student was dead and again it was because of _him_ and his never-ending battle with the dark lord.

He remembered Mystyk's final words to him before she blew up into thousand million pieces right before his very eyes.

_I love you with all my heart, Harry Potter. I'll be with you always and forever..._

Harry closed his eyes as another set of tears threatened to fall.

She loved him. And he loves her back, but she would never know it because she's already dead. She's dead because of _him!_

When he saw her die right before his very eyes Harry remembered seeing black and his sudden urge to whip out his wand perform the _Avada Kedavra_ on Voldemort seemed right, but at the very last second someone whispered in his ear--could it be Mystyk?--to use the _Reclusión Perpua Eternidad_ instead. Trusting his instincts he did what his gut instinct told him, then stepped back and watch his handiwork blossom right before his very eyes.

Later, after everyone has recovered from the shock of finding Voldemort in Hogwarts Castle and later on rejoicing at the death of the dark lord, Professor Dumbledore asked Harry to meet him in his office for a long overdue talk Harry desperately needed to have with the Headmaster.

"Sit down, Harry." Professor Dumbledore commanded.

"I'd rather stand, Professor." he said obdurately.

"Very well." Professor Dumbledore nodded and rounded his table. "I'm sure you're still reeling from shock at what just happened. But fear not, Mr. Potter, Lord Voldemort will no longer come after you _nor_ will he be a wandering parasite like the last time." he assured his young charge.

"What do you mean, Professor?"

Professor Dumbledore studied Harry very carefully over the rim of his half-moon specs.

"_Reclusión Perpua Eternidad_ is very advanced _black_ magic spell, Mr. Potter. Like _Avada Kedavra_, _Reclusión Perpua Eternidad_ is a deadly curse along with _Muerte Maldición_, the one the late Ms. Rydel used on Voldemort. Both curses are well known to those who follow dark magic, but no one of your and Ms. Rydel's caliber could actually perform either one of those spells--not even myself." he explained, watching Harry's face for reaction.

"Mystyk knew _Muerte Maldición_ because her father, Voldemort, planted it in her subconscious when she was a child." he pointed out.

"Even so. But Ms. Rydel was never fully trained as a witch. And although she excelled in her private lessons, still, a young woman of her age could _never_ muster the strength to use _Muerte Maldición._ A person has to be properly trained to use such curses."

"But neither Mystyk nor I were properly trained to handle using such spells." Harry pointed out.

"Exactly." Professor Dumbledore nodded, "But you both were borne with the inert knowledge of such powers. Especially handling _Reclusión Perpua Eternidad_ the way you did." he met Harry's eyes and held it for the longest time, "Do you know _why_ _Reclusión Perpua Eternidad_ is the hardest dark magic spell to muster, Mr. Potter?"

"No." Harry firmly shook his. Hell, he doesn't even know such spell exists!

"Once _Reclusión Perpua Eternidad_ is used on someone, it doesn't necessarily kill the person. However, the same spell, when executed right, will send the recipient to another world where he _or_ she would exist indefinitely, but he or she won't be able to move on elsewhere. They are stuck in that place in-between for all eternity."

And Harry was stuck between the love he lost and the love he could have had with Mystyk.

Clenching his fists tightly on the necklace and earring he purchased at Hogsmeade. He unclasped his hand and stared down at the emerald pendant and earrings glittering back at him.

"I love you, Mystyk Rydel. Though you never knew about it, but I do love you so." he whispered under his breath, his eyes focused on the jewelry in his hand.

"Good morning Harry." Hermione greeted when she joined him in the Common Room, "Happy Christmas."

Harry looked up from the jewelry in his hand and forced a smile on his face, "Happy Christmas, Hermione."

Hermione sat down beside him and glanced down at the thing he was holding. Slowly she raked her gaze back and met Harry's, "I'm sure she would've loved that gift, Harry." she assured him, patting him on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Hermione." Harry smiled.

She returned his smile and got to her feet. "Now what do you say we go down to the Great Hall and have breakfast? I think Ron's already down there chowing down on almost everything served on the table."

"Alright." he nodded and slipping the necklace and earrings in his pockets, he followed Hermione out the portrait hole.

The fire in the fireplace flicked once or twice before Mystyk's face appeared amidst the flames. Her violet eyes twinkling and her lips pulled into a content smile. She followed the departing back of Harry and Hermione before sending him a calming message.

_Be well, my love. I promised to be with you always, and I never back down on my words. And I loved your present to me. Too bad I wouldn't be able to wear it in this lifetime...but maybe in another lifetime you'll be able to give it to me..._

~*~

THE END

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**~*~** alright, so what do you think of it? crappy ending? please let me know what you think of the story. i think i have a "sequel" already formulating in my mind--just watch out for it. for now i would like to thank all of you who read and critiqued this fic. **~*~**


	24. Author's Final Note

**AUTHOR'S FINAL NOTE:**

I'd just like to take this space up to thank you all for reviewing my fic. Right now I am working on the sequel to this fic. I know I just can't leave it the way I did--with Harry nursing a broken heart because the one girl he truly loves turns out to be the daughter of his mortal enemy--or should it be _immortal_ enemy? hehehe

Anyway, thank you all for your reviews & just stay tuned for my next HP fanfic. It's still in the works right now, but I'm trying my best to get at least one chapter done. Work's been hectic lately, but I'll eventually get another fic out soon.

**~*~**_ PhoenixRae_** ~*~**


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